'Trlnccss  GatSerine  j 


MEMORIES  OF  FORTY  YEARS 


Princess  Catherine  radziwill. 


MEMORIES 
OF    FORTY    YEARS 


BY 


Princess  Catherine  Radziwill 

(Catherine  Kolb) 


With  Photogravure  Illustrations 


FUNK  &  WAGNALLS  COMPANY 

New  York  and  London 

1915 


'/  ^ 


■O^' 


K% 


\ 


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CONTENTS 


Introduction 


PAOK 

ix 


Part  I.— Memories  of  England 

OHAPTBR 

1.  My  Visit  to  England  .... 


2.  English  Political  Circles    .... 

3.  More  English  Impressions  .... 

4.  England  through  the  Eyes  of  a  Foreigner 


3 

14 
26 
41 


Part  II.— Memories  of  Germany 

1.  The  Emperor  William  I.      . 

2.  Daily  Life  at  the  Court     . 

3.  Receptions  and  Ceremonies 

4.  The  Empress's  Thursdays    . 

5.  A  Disappointed  Life    . 

6.  An  Empress's  Foibles 

7.  Prince  Frederick 

8.  The  Imperial  Family  . 

9.  The  Entourage  of  the  Sovereigns 

10.  Court  Festivities  in  Berlin 

11.  Smart  Society  in  Berlin     . 

12.  A  Few  Berlin  Hostesses     . 

13.  The  Radziwill  Family 


49 

60 

64 

71 

76 

82 

90 

100 

110 

116 

127 

134 

142 


LIBRARY 


VI 


Contents 


CHAPTER  PAOX 

14.  The  Intellectual  World  of  Berlin  .          .          .  147 

15.  Prince  von  Bismarck  ......  152 

16.  Count  von  Moltke  and  a  Few  Military  Men     .  164 

17.  The  Reichstag  and  its  Different  Parties.         .  168 

18.  The  Diplomatic  Corps           .....  177 

19.  Prince  von  Hohenlohe  and  Prince  von  Bulow.  184 

20.  Princess  Victoria          ......  190 

21.  The  Personality  of  the  Crown  Princess  Victoria  201 

22.  Victoria  as  Empress 213 


Part  III.— Memories  of  Russia 

1.  Alexander  III.  and  his  Consort 

2.  The  Imperial  Family  .... 

3.  Some  of  the  Emperor's  Ministers 

4.  The  Personal  Friends  of  the  Emperor 

5.  High  Society  in  St.  Petersburg. 

6.  Social  Life  in  St.  Petersburg    . 

7.  A  Few  Salons  of  Old 

8.  Pretty  Women  and  Amiable  Men 

9.  Princess  Lise  Volkhonsky  . 

10.  Famous  Diplomats        .... 

11.  Journalism  in  Russia 

12.  Death  of  Alexander  III.     . 

13.  The  Coronation  of  Nicholas  II. 

14.  The  Bell  of  Nyrob  :   a  Russian  Legend 


219 
228 
237 
249 
263 
271 
282 
290 
295 
302 
312 
319 
328 
335 


INDEX 


343 


LIST  OF  PHOTOGRAVURES 


Princess  Catherine  Radziwill  .  .  Frontispiece 

TACIMO  PAOB 

H.M.  Queen  Victoria  in  1893             .         .         .         .  6 

The  Right  Hon.  H.  H.  Asquith         ....  20 

The  Right  Hon.  Winston  L.  S.  Churchill         .         .  20 

William  I.  of  Prussia        ......  54 

Frederick  III.  of  Prussia          .....  90 

Prince  von  Bismarck         ......  158 

Count  von  Moltke    .......  158 

Empress  Frederick  of  Prussia          ....  198 

Alexander  III.  of  Russia          .....  224 

Empress  Maria  Feodorovna  of  Russia      .         .         .  224 


INTRODUCTION 

Frankness  is  not  a  useful  quality  ;  and  unfortunately 
I  possess  it,  which  fact  has  not  contributed  to  make 
my  life  more  smooth.  But  I  have  reached  an  age 
when  the  judgments  of  the  crowd  lose  importance, 
and  when  one  does  not  easily  part  with  one's  own 
opinions.  I  have  had  friends,  and  I  have  made 
enemies;  and  whilst  I  care  for  the  former,  I  never 
trouble  about  the  latter. 

My  experience  of  humanity  has  been  varied ;  but  I 
am  thankful  to  be  able  to  say  that  it  has  not  embittered 
me,  because  I  hold  that  if  only  one's  mind  is  made 
up  not  to  expect  too  much  from  mankind,  and  to 
respect  the  selfishness  which  is  the  essential  point  in 
its  general  character,  it  is  possible  to  get  along  most 
comfortably.  It  is  in  this  consideration  for  the  selfish- 
ness of  one's  neighbours  that  one  can  find  the  best 
means  of  getting  on  in  the  world. 

One  is  always  considered  pleasant  when  one  neither 
expects  nor  asks  anything  of  anybody;  and  yet  is 
willing  to  give  without  stint.  If  once  this  fact  is 
recognised,  one  can  afford  to  be  amused  at  the  kaleido- 
scopic spectacle  which  passes  before  the  eyes  of  one 
who  finds  amusement  in  observing  the  hidden  springs 
which  move  the  marionettes  of  that  large  theatre  called 
human  life. 


X  Introduction 

Personally  I  have  found  that  spectacle  most  enter- 
taining, and  delight  in  it  to  the  present  moment.  It 
changes  so  constantly  in  its  details,  and  yet  is  so  un- 
changeable in  its  dramatic  character,  that  one  can  well 
afford  to  forget  oneself  in  watching  it. 

When  thus  I  wander  in  the  past  and  try  to  think 
where  I  was  happiest,  it  seems  to  me  difficult  to  decide. 
Almost  everywhere  I  have  been  I  have  met  nice  people  ; 
and  where  sometimes  this  has  not  been  the  case,  then 
I  have  hastened  to  forget.  I  knew  I  could  not  alter 
character,  therefore  why  bother  my  mind  with  un- 
pleasant memories  ? 

As  to  those  whose  descriptions  appear  in  this  book, 
I  have  painted  them  exactly  as  I  saw  them.  I  have 
tried  not  to  be  unfair,  and  I  do  not  think  I  have  been 
harsh  in  my  judgments,  though  I  may  have  shown 
myself  severe.  Severity  is  not  unkindness,  although 
it  is  often  mistaken  for  such.  Unkindness  is  cruel ; 
severity  is  just.  I  have  endeavoured  to  be  just— and 
I  have  not  found  it  difficult  to  be  so. 

I  have  begun  these  wanderings  into  a  past  full  of 
agreeable  hours  with  my  impressions  of  England  and 
the  English.  My  motive  has  been  twofold.  First, 
because  my  book  being  published  in  England  it  should 
be  of  particular  interest  to  Enghsh-speaking  peoples 
to  read  a  foreigner's  impressions.  My  second  reason 
is  that  I  have  the  sincere  conviction  that  nowhere  as 
in  England  exists  such  a  spirit  of  all-round  good  fellow- 
ship and  toleration. 

The  second  part  of  my  book  concerns  itself  with 
Germany,  my  home  for  many  years. 

The  period  during  which  I  lived  in  Berlin  was  an 


Introduction  xi 

education  in  itself.     I  saw  many  curious  things,  and 
met  many  remarkable  people. 

Circumstances  following  upon  my  father's  death 
made  me  leave  the  German  capital.  I  would  not  be 
speaking  the  truth  if  I  said  that  I  was  sorry  for  this. 
I  have  certainly  no  reason  to  regret  the  years  which 
I  spent  in  Berlin.  People  were  most  amiable  to  me  ; 
the  Royal  Family  treated  me  with  a  kindness  for 
which  I  shall  remain  for  ever  grateful. 

After  I  left  Berlin,  I  was  thrown  into  a  different 
circle  altogether,  which  certainly  was  more  congenial 
to  me,  because  I  happened  to  be  an  actor— not  a  mere 
spectator— in  the  drama  of  hfe  such  as  it  presented 
itself  there.  Then  came  journeys  in  foreign  countries, 
acquaintances  with  other  persons,  all  the  vicissitudes 
of  a  varied  and  interesting  life,  which  happily  for  me 
has  left  me  unembittered. 

I  was  not  sorry,  however,  when  circumstances 
brought  me  back  to  the  land  of  my  birth,  to  the  Russia 
I  loved  so  dearly,  and  to  which  so  many  family  ties 
bound  me.  My  father  and  grandfather  had  served 
Russia  faithfully  and  long.  My  wanderings  led  me  to 
St.  Petersburg,  which,  because  of  recent  events,  has 
been  rechristened  Petrograd. 

I  was  very  fond  of  St.  Petersburg  and  its  society, 
and  found  myself  thoroughly  at  home.  People  were 
undoubtedly  far  less  formal  than  in  Berlin.  It  was 
therefore  with  feelings  of  unmixed  pleasure  that  I 
took  a  house,  and  settled  in  the  capital  of  Russia. 
I  had  already  spent  several  seasons  in  Russia  and 
had  enjoyed  them  thoroughly,  especially  the  weeks 
which  I  passed  in  Moscow,  at  the  time  of  the  Coronation 


xii  Introduction 

of  the  late  Emperor.  These  years  have  remained  in 
my  recollection  surrounded  with  a  halo  of  joy  and 
happiness  which  nothing  has  been  able  to  efface,  and 
it  is  therefore  with  infinite  pleasure  that  I  recall  them. 
I  have  never  been  able  to  understand  the  famous 
lines  of  Dante  when  he  says  : 

"  No  greater  woe 
Can  be  than  to  remember  happy  days." 

It  seems  to  me,  on  the  contrary,  that  it  is  soothing 
to  the  heart  and  mind  to  be  able  to  look  back  on 
days  when  one  thought  that  one  had  everything  heart 
could  desire.  In  truth,  this  world  of  ours  is  not  such 
a  bad  place  after  all.  Kind  people  are  to  be  found  ; 
generous  folk  too  ;  and  my  experience  of  sovereigns, 
which  has  been  varied,  has  proved  to  me  that  nowhere, 
perhaps,  can  one  meet  with  more  generous  instincts 
than  amongst  them. 

I  firmly  beheve  that  as  existence  becomes  more 
complicated,  as  events  go  on,  as  the  struggle  for  life 
gets  harder,  as  jealousies  stand  out  with  more  acute- 
ness,  the  better  and  nobler  qualities  of  human  nature 
also  shine  more  brilliantly  than  they  did  when  every- 
thing seemed  simple  and  easy  in  hfe.  The  world  is 
changed,  perhaps  for  better,  perhaps  for  worse  ;  but 
it  is  quite  certain  that  we  have  all  become  more  serious 
than  we  were  at  the  time  of  my  youth,  and  this  not- 
withstanding the  "  tango  "  and  yet  more  recent 
crazes  for  excitement. 

Unknown  heroisms  still  abound,  customs  pass  and 
fashions  change,  but  the  soul  of  man  remains  immortal. 
After  all,  life  is  so  short  and  eternity  so  long,  that  it 


Introduction  xiii 

would  be  a  great  mistake  to  trouble  ourselves  about 
what  happens  here  below. 

People  may  call  me  a  philosopher ;  they  will  never 
be  able  to  think  me  a  misanthrope,  for  indeed  the 
faculty  of  enjoyment  exists  in  me  just  as  intensely  as 
in  the  days  of  my  youth.  And,  standing  on  the  thres- 
hold of  old  age,  I  am  glad  to  say  that  I  have  lived  and 
loved,  suffered  and  been  merry;  that  my  past  has 
been  sweet,  though  it  has  known  bitter  hours;  but 
there  is  not  a  single  page  in  it  I  would  care  to  tear 
away. 


PART  I 
Memories  of  England 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 


CHAPTER    I 

MY   VISIT    TO    ENGLAND 

IT  is  always  with  particular  affection  that  my 
thoughts  linger  on  that  part  of  my  remembrances 
which  touches  the  numerous  journeys  I  have  made 
to  England.  After  my  own  native  Russia,  it  is  the 
country  I  care  for  most ;  it  is  the  only  one  where  one 
can  live  in  the  enjoyment  of  many  small  things  that 
add  to  the  pleasure  of  life,  which  there  seem  natural, 
whilst  everywhere  else  one  can  only  obtain  them  after 
a  strenuous  fight. 

My  eldest  daughter  was  presented  at  the  Court  of 
St.  Petersburg  in  1893,  and  we  thought  it  to  her  advan- 
tage to  take  her  to  England,  thus  giving  her  the  oppor- 
tunity of  spending  a  season  in  London.  Personally,  I 
love  England,  though  English  politics  have  not  always 
been  to  my  liking,  and  I  have  always  felt  admiration 
for  its  vigour  and  the  strong  intellectual  movement 
that  has  always  characterised  the  whole  course  of 
English  history.  English  science,  English  literature, 
English  art,  have  always  seemed  to  me  to  be  imbued 
with  far  more  personal,  individual  feeling  than  any- 
where else,  perhaps  on  account  of  the  fact  that  in  no 

3 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

other  country  of  the  world  has  private  independence 
of  opinion  been  more  carefully  respected. 

English  society,  too,  appeared  to  me  to  be  built 
on  stronger,  healthier  lines  than  in  France,  or  even  in 
my  own  beloved  Russia.  Men  and  women  moved 
about  with  far  more  freedom  and  far  less  regard  for 
those  social  hypocrisies  and  customs  which  one  observes 
without  respecting  them.  For  a  girl  born  and  bred  in 
a  relatively  small  and  narrow  circle  a  visit  to  England 
was  an  education  in  itself,  and  I  wanted  my  daughter 
to  have  this,  so  as  to  broaden  her  views,  and  to  afford 
her  a  sight  of  life  as  it  exists  in  that  wide,  wide  world 
which  London,  more  than  any  other  place  in  the  uni- 
verse, represents. 

We  arrived  in  England  in  April,  1893,  and  spent 
three  dehghtful  months  of  the  season  in  the  vast 
metropolis  that  is  so  unique  and  so  different  from 
anywhere  else  in  Europe.  We  certainly  enjoyed  our 
visit — I  perhaps  more  than  my  daughter,  because  she 
was  still  too  young  and  inexperienced  to  appreciate 
the  grandeur  of  all  that  she  saw  and  amidst  which  she 
moved  during  our  stay  in  London.  But  yet  she,  too, 
was  impressed  by  that  dear,  old,  merry  England  and 
the  infinite  resources  it  offers  to  the  thinker  and  the 
philosopher,  the  poet  and  the  artist,  the  man  of  science 
and  the  man  of  pleasure,  the  politician  and  the  writer, 
to  all  those  who  look  beyond  the  present  moment  and 
the  present  day  for  their  instruction  and  their  judg- 
ments. 

As  for  myself,  I  must  own  that  I  carried  away  the 
pleasantest  impressions  of  those  few  weeks.  London, 
even   if   one   knows   no   one   in   it,    is   a   place   where 

4 


The  Fascination  of  London 

it  is  impossible  to  remain  dull.  I  have  spent  hours 
roaming  in  Westminster  Abbey,  meditating  over  the 
multitude  of  historical  incidents  that  are  associated 
with  it  and  inseparable  from  its  name.  And  the 
treasures  of  the  National  Gallery,  the  British  Museum, 
and  other  places  of  less  world-wide  fame  would  be  in 
themselves  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  most  ambitious 
wishes  and  help  the  stranger  to  spend  his  time  profit- 
ably and  usefully. 

But  when  one  has  friends  amidst  that  refined, 
polished  society,  then  indeed  one  enjoys  oneself  as 
nowhere  else  in  the  world.  For  a  Russian,  coming 
from  a  country  where  life  runs  on  such  very  different 
lines  from  those  of  England,  such  a  visit  is  most 
refreshing  to  the  mind  and  healthy  to  the  soul.  At 
least,  that  is  what  I  have  always  felt  when  in  London. 

Politics  at  that  time  were  respected,  which  at 
present  they  are  not.  The  tide  of  democracy  has,  un- 
fortunately, also  invaded  England.  She  has  lost  her 
greatest  politicians  of  the  Victorian  days,  those  who 
had  kept  the  traditions  which  Burghley  and  Walsing- 
ham  fought  for  in  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  and  of  Pitt 
and  of  Fox  in  later  reigns.  Gladstone  was  then  alive, 
and  the  gigantic  figure  of  Lord  Salisbury  was  com- 
manding the  political  horizon  with  its  imposing  mag- 
nitude. Mr.  Balfour  still  represented  the  hopes  of  the 
Conservatives,  just  as  much  as  Lord  Rosebery  was 
considered  by  the  Liberal  party  to  be  the  one  great 
man  of  the  future.  Mr.  Lloyd  George  had  not  come 
above  the  horizon,  and  scarcely  any  outsiders  had 
penetrated  into  the  exclusive  ranks  of  society  ;  even 
American   millionaires  were  not  yet  considered  indis- 

5 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

pensable  to  the  welfare  of  London's  smart  circles.  It 
is  true  that  Baron  Hirsch  was  to  be  met  at  some 
great  houses,  such  as  the  stately  home  of  the  lovely 
Duchess  of  Devonshire  ;  but  then  he  was  looked  upon 
by  many  as  an  unnecessary  evil,  whereas  to-day  he 
would  be  considered  as  an  unavoidable  one. 

Some  hostesses,  like  the  late  Lady  Salisbury,  held 
strong  opinions  as  to  who  could  or  could  not  be  admitted 
to  their  entertainments,  and  even  the  necessities  of 
political  life  did  not  make  them  yield,  whatever  might 
be  the  party  exigencies.  I  remember  an  amusing  story 
that  was  told  me  at  Hatfield  House  about  Sir  Philip 
Currie,  who  had  persistently  implored  Lady  Salisbury 
to  send  a  card  for  one  of  her  "  At  Homes  "  to  a  certain 
important  supporter  of  the  Conservative  party  in 
some  obscure  provincial  town.  The  Marchioness 
always  refused,  until  at  last  Sir  Philip — who,  let  it 
be  said  en  passant,  always  managed  to  get  his  own 
way  whenever  he  had  some  particular  aim  in  view  — 
ended  by  declaring  that  he  could  vouch  that  the 
person  in  question  would  simply  place  the  card  on 
his  mantelpiece,  and  never  dare  to  put  in  an  appear- 
ance at  the  Foreign  Office.  When  Lady  Salisbury 
asked  him  how  he  could  undertake  the  responsibility 
of  making  such  a  statement,  he  declared  that  he  could 
do  so  because  he  happened  to  know  that  the  man 
for  whom  he  was  begging  the  invitation  did  not 
possess  any  evening  clothes.  The  argument  proved 
successful,  because  the  card  was  sent ;  but  I  cannot 
say  whether  the  person  who  received  it  abstained 
from  making  use  of  it  for  the  reason  put  forward  by 
Sir  Philip  Currie. 

6 


HER  Majesty  queen  Victoria  in  18  93. 


A  Glimpse  of  Queen  Victoria 

Looking  over  some  old  letters  and  diaries  referring 
to  that  London  season,  I  find  in  one  of  them  a  few 
remarks  concerning  my  impressions  of  what  I  saw, 
and  especially  about  a  garden  party  at  Marlborough 
House,  given  in  honour  of  the  marriage  of  the  Duke 
of  York,  now  King  George  V.,  at  which  I  had  the 
honour  of  seeing  Queen  Victoria  again.  Writing  to 
a  friend  of  mine,  after  whose  death  my  correspondence 
with  her  was  returned  to  me,  I  find  the  following 
description  of  the  Queen,  which  may  prove  interest- 
ing, considering  the  fact  that  it  was  not  destined  for 
publication,  but  represented  exactly  the  impression 
produced  upon  my  mind  by  her  personality. 

"I  did  not  think  that  the  Queen,  at  the  advanced 
age  she  has  reached,  would  have  preserved  such  an 
imposing  appearance.  There  is  in  her  small,  rather 
bent  figure  a  quiet  dignity  that  would  single  her  out 
at  once  as  a  queen,  in  spite  of  the  extreme  simplicity 
of  her  dress,  as  well  as  of  her  demeanour,  which  is 
that  of  an  elderly  woman.  The  sound  of  her  voice  is  the 
same  as  ever,  and  reminds  one  so  much  of  the  dear 
Empress  Frederick.  The  eyes  are  frank  and  sincere,  and 
they  look  at  you  with  an  expression  of  intense  truth  ; 
but  they  are  imperious,  and  reveal  a  character  that  does 
not  brook  contradiction. 

"  She  arrived  rather  late,  and  after  having  been 
driven  round  the  grounds  in  a  kind  of  small  pony 
carriage,  she  sat  down  in  a  tent  that  had  been  arranged 
for  her,  where  she  had  some  tea,  reclining  in  an  arm- 
chair and  keeping  in  her  hand  a  stick  upon  which 
she  leaned  when  walking. 

"  The  Royal  Family  surrounded  her,  and  it  seemed 

7 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

to  me  that  they  stood  somewhat  in  awe  of  her.  The 
sight  of  that  aged  lady  in  her  simple  dress  who  repre- 
sented so  much  power,  so  much  might,  and  who 
bore  the  burden  with  such  utter  lack  of  affectation, 
was  certainly  very  impressive,  perhaps  more  so 
than  if  she  had  appeared  in  her  crown  and  royal 
robes. 

"  A  few  days  later  I  saw  her  again  driving  to  St. 
James's  Palace  in  her  gilded  coach  on  the  occasion 
of  the  wedding  of  her  grandson.  Our  windows  opened 
on  Piccadilly,  and  we  could  watch  the  procession  as 
it  moved  slowly  along  amid  the  cheers  of  the  crowds 
that  lined  the  streets.  The  Princess  of  Wales,  with 
whom  was  our  Grand  Duke  Tsarevitch  and  the  King 
and  Queen  of  Denmark,  was  welcomed  with  great 
effusion  ;  but  all  the  enthusiasm  of  the  mob  seemed 
directed  towards  the  bride  in  her  white  attire  and 
the  Queen,  opposite  whom  sat  the  Duchess  of  Teck. 
One  could  at  once  see  how  very  popular  is  Queen 
Victoria  among  her  subjects,  perhaps  because  no  other 
sovereign  has  understood  so  well  how  to  appeal  to  their 
inmost  feelings  and  to  associate  them  with  all  her 
joys  and  sorrows,  as  so  consistently  she  does. 

"  I  would  not  say  it  aloud,  for  fear  of  being  charged 
with  using  exaggerated  language  ;  but,  in  my  eyes, 
Queen  Victoria  appears  in  the  light  of  an  exceedingly 
fascinating  woman,  in  spite  of  her  years.  There  is 
in  her  face,  even  more  than  in  that  of  her  daughter, 
the  Empress  Frederick,  an  extreme  charm.  It  is 
seen,  too,  in  her  eyes  and  her  voice  ;  her  whole  person, 
in  fact,  expresses  great  sympathy,  just  as  much  as 
it  demands  it,  and  to  that  must  be  added  the  prestige 

8 


Queen  Mary's  Happy  Girlhood 

of  the  traditions  which  she  embodies,  the  grandeur 
which  she  represents." 

It  was  not  only  Queen  Victoria  who  impressed  me 
during  my  stay  in  London.  In  a  certain  sense  I  was 
struck  by  the  simpHcity  of  the  whole  Royal  Family, 
so  different  were  they  from  our  own  Grand  Dukes. 
The  Duchess  of  Teck  especially  remains  in  my  mind 
as  a  vivid  example  of  affability  and  kindness  com- 
bined with  simple  dignity.  Anything  more  pleasant 
than  her  welcome  when  we  called  upon  her  at  White 
Lodge  could  not  be  found,  and  one  quite  forgot  whilst 
there  that  one  was  in  the  home  of  Royalty,  so  entirely 
free  from  etiquette  it  seemed.  And  one  of  the  happiest 
of  that  united  family  was  Princess  May,  the  present 
Queen  of  England.  Ever  since  she  has  shared  the 
throne  she  has  been  an  example  of  what  a  queen  should 
be  in  every  possible  way ;  but  she  certainly  owes 
much  to  the  wonderful  education  she  received  under 
the  superintendence  of  her  accomplished  mother,  who 
has  placed  the  whole  of  England  under  a  debt  of  deep 
gratitude  for  the  care  she  took  in  bringing  up  her 
daughter  to  fill  the  place  she  so  worthily  occupies. 

Talking  of  White  Lodge  reminds  me  of  an  adven- 
ture that  befell  us  one  Sunday  when  we  called  there. 
We  had  been  invited  by  my  present  son-in-law.  Prince 
Bliicher,  to  dine  that  evening  with  him  at  the  Star 
and  Garter,  Richmond,  and  we  decided  to  start  a 
little  earlier  so  as  to  be  able  to  pay  our  respects  to 
the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Teck  during  the  afternoon. 
After  we  had  brushed  the  dust  off  our  clothes  I  asked 
the  porter  of  the  Star  and  Garter  to  call  a  carriage. 
Hearing    this,    Prince    Bliicher,    always    on    economy 

9 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

bent,  declared  that  it  would  be  far  too  expensive,  and 
that  he  would  go  himself  and  get  us  a  fly,  for  "  half 
the  money  this  man  will  require,"  he  energetically 
added.  It  was  impossible  to  prevent  him  putting  this 
virtuous  intention  into  execution,  and  perforce  we  sat 
down  in  the  hall  and  waited  for  his  return.  In  about 
fifteen  minutes  he  reappeared  with  the  dirtiest,  most 
disreputable-looking  vehicle  it  has  ever  been  my  for- 
tune to  see.  When  I  perceived  it  I  began  protest- 
ing energetically,  and  declared  that  we  could  not 
possibly  enter  the  gates  of  White  Lodge  in  such  a  dis- 
graceful conveyance,  to  which  Prince  Bliicher  declared 
that  we  need  not  do  that,  and  could  leave  the  sorry- 
looking  object  outside.  Time  was  pressing,  so,  gather- 
ing our  skirts  together,  we  jumped  into  this  filthy 
carriage,  which  we  were  very  careful  to  abandon  within 
reasonable  distance  of  the  ducal  residence,  where  we 
made  our  appearance  in  the  guise  of  peaceful  pedes- 
trians. 

Everything  went  well  at  first ;  but  when  we  took 
leave  of  the  kindly,  amiable  Duchess,  the  Duke  said 
he  would  have  our  carriage  called  on  to  the  lawn 
in  front  of  the  house.  We  immediately  protested 
with  touching  unanimity,  that  we  had  no  carriage, 
which  was  not  such  an  untruth  after  all,  and  that  we 
intended  returning  to  the  Star  and  Garter  on  foot, 
just  as  we  had  come.  "  Oh,  in  that  case,"  said  the 
Duke,  "  I  shall  take  you  down  to  the  gate  at  least." 
In  a  fit  of  desperation  I  begged  him  to  abstain  from 
doing  so,  saying  it  was  really  too  good  of  him,  and 
that  for  nothing  in  the  world  would  we  give  him  such 
trouble  ;    but  my  protestations  were  useless,  the  Duke 

10 


The  Duke  of  Teck's  Courtesy 

proved  adamant,  and  insisted  on  walking  down  to  the 
road  with  us,  where  the  miserable  fly  that  had  won 
the  heart  of  my  son-in-law  by  its  cheapness  was  wait- 
ing. When  the  driver  saw  us,  what  did  he  imme- 
diately do  but  start  his  horse  and  come  to  meet 
us  !  At  first  we  pretended  we  did  not  see  him  ;  but 
the  man  was  resolute,  and,  to  my  intense  consterna- 
tion, began  calling  us  by  name.  "  Why,  what  does 
this  creature  want  from  vou  ?  "  asked  the  Duke  of 
Teck,  upon  which,  overcome  by  my  feelings,  I  sat 
down  on  a  stile  by  the  road  and  burst  out  laughing  ; 
for,  finding  that  truth  is  always  best,  and  that  we  had 
failed  in  observing  the  eleventh  commandment  and 
had  been  found  out,  we  related  the  whole  story  to 
His  Highness,  who  joined  in  our  mirth  with  the  good 
nature  which  was  one  of  his  characteristics. 

It  was  about  that  time,  shortly  before  the  marriage 
of  the  Duke  of  York,  that  the  ship  Victoria  went  down 
in  the  Mediterranean,  together  with  brave  Admiral 
Try  on  and  so  many  others.  A  State  ball  was  to  be 
given  at  Buckingham  Palace  the  next  day  ;  but  it 
was  immediately  countermanded  by  order  of  the 
Queen,  who  thus  showed  her  keen  sense  of  the  mis- 
fortune that  had  befallen  her  Navy.  My  daughter 
was  disappointed  at  the  loss  of  this  opportunity  to  be 
present  at  a  Court  ball  in  England  ;  but,  thanks  to 
the  kindness  of  Baron  de  Staal,  the  Russian  Ambassa- 
dor, we  were  invited  to  another,  which  was  attended 
by  our  Grand  Duke  Tsarevitch,  who  had  arrived  in 
England  a  few  days  before  for  the  marriage  of  his 
cousin,  the  present  King  George,  with  Princess  May 
of  Teck. 

11 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

I  cannot  say  that  I  was  very  much  impressed  by 
the  inside  of  Buckingham  Palace.  It  seems  that  now 
it  is  immensely  improved,  and  arranged  with  much 
better  taste  than  during  the  reign  of  Queen  Victoria. 
In  1893  its  decoration  had  evidently  not  been  altered 
since  Prince  Albert  had  designed  it,  after  his  marriage 
with  the  Queen.  The  supper  room  during  the  ball 
was  the  scene  of  a  terrible  crush,  so  that  it  was  next 
to  impossible  to  find  even  a  sandwich  to  eat ;  but  the 
entertainment  itself  was  regal,  by  reason  of  the  pomp 
that  accompanied  it,  as  well  as  by  the  splendid  uni- 
forms, beautiful  dresses,  wonderful  jewels,  and  lovely 
women,  the  equal  of  which  I  have  never  seen  in  any 
other  city.  The  procession  of  the  Royal  Family  as 
it  entered  the  ballroom  was  most  interesting,  and  the 
quaintness  of  the  Palace  added  to  the  beauty  of  the 
scene. 

I  remember  having  a  lengthy  conversation  during 
that  ball  with  the  late  Duke  of  Argyll,  then  Marquis  of 
Lome,  who  had  known  my  father  and  mother-in-law 
when  he  had  been  in  Berlin  following  his  course  of 
education.  The  Duke  was  a  quiet,  rather  shy  man, 
highly  cultured,  exceedingly  well  read,  and  versed  in 
everything  that  was  connected  with  history  and  litera- 
ture. The  Princess  Louise  was  the  most  attractive  of 
all  the  daughters  of  the  Queen,  and,  though  tall  and 
elegant,  reminded  me  more  than  did  her  other  sisters 
of  the  Empress  Frederick,  whose  sweet  voice  and 
lovely  eyes  she  possessed.  Her  conversation  was  most 
amusing,  and  she  used  to  tell  anecdotes  in  a  very  enter- 
taining manner.  For  instance,  one  evening  after  a 
dinner  at  the  house  of  Lady  Burghclere,   then  Lady 

12 


Wedding  of  King  George 

Winifred  Gardner,  the  pretty,  clever  daughter  of  the 
late  Earl  of  Carnarvon,  the  Princess  Louise,  who  was 
present,  related  to  us  how  one  day,  hearing  that  the 
old  Duchess  of  Cleveland  prided  herself  upon  having 
once  been  pretty,  she  had  asked  the  Queen  whether 
this  had  been  really  the  case,  to  which  Her  Majesty 
had  rephed,  "  Yes,  my  dear ;  but  it  only  lasted  one 
moment." 

The  marriage  of  the  Duke  of  York  was  during  the 
summer  of  1893,  and  the  one  subject  of  conversation. 
On  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which  it  took  place  we 
were  invited  by  the  present  Dowager  Lady  Tweeddale 
to  view  the  illuminations  in  the  City.  We  arrived  at 
London  Bridge,  and  we  somehow,  together  with  my 
daughter,  M.  Kroupensky,  the  Councillor  of  the 
Russian  Embassy,  now  Ambassador  in  Rome,  and  a 
young  Russian  officer,  Count  Kreutz,  became  sepa- 
rated from  our  other  companions  and  had  to  walk 
back  to  the  West  End,  thus  missing  a  supper  at  the 
hospitable  house  of  Baron  Alfred  Rothschild,  where 
we  had  been  invited.  In  one  sense  I  did  not  regret 
this  somewhat  fatiguing  incident,  because  it  impressed 
on  my  mind  the  great  spirit  of  order  that  is  such  a 
distinctive  feature  in  the  character  of  the  English. 
The  streets  were  thronged  with  people  ;  so  full  were 
the  thoroughfares  that  a  pin,  if  it  had  fallen,  would 
not  have  reached  the  ground  ;  and  yet  nowhere  was 
order  in  the  least  infringed  upon,  not  the  slightest 
sign  of  disorder  was  to  be  noticed.  No  policeman 
was  even  in  sight.  Such  a  thing  would  have  been 
impossible  in  any  other  country  except  England,  and 
it  could  not  fail  to  deeply  impress  any  foreigner. 

13 


CHAPTER    II 

ENGLISH    POLITICAL    CIRCLES 

IN  the  year  of  grace  1894  the  Liberal  party  was  in 
power,  and  Mr.  Gladstone  Prime  Minister.  His 
colleagues  in  the  Ministry  were  all  clever,  and  did  not 
yet  include  men  outside  the  upper  ten,  such  as  Mr. 
Lloyd  George,  or  even  adventurous  scions  of  noble 
houses,  like  Mr.  Winston  Churchill. 

Mr.  Asquith,  who  was  Home  Secretary,  if  I  am  not 
mistaken,  was  considered  the  rising  star  of  his  party, 
and  was  very  much  talked  about;  partly,  I  believe, 
on  account  of  his  marriage  with  Miss  Margot  Tennant, 
the  heroine  of  E.  F.  Benson's  delightful  book,  "  Dodo." 
He  had  not  yet  succeeded  in  arousing  the  enmities 
that  crowd  around  him  at  present,  and  there  were  still 
people  among  the  Conservatives  who  reluctantly  ad- 
mitted that  he  was  a  very  clever  man,  in  spite  of 
their  indignation  against  all  the  supporters  of  Home 
Rule. 

I  found  him  something  more  than  clever  ;  I  found 
him  a  man  with  not  only  a  broad  intelligence,  but  one 
who  could  look  at  things  with  a  broader  outlook  than 
the  average  Englishman.  Mr.  Asquith  has  studied 
social  questions  at  home  as  well  as  in  other  countries, 
has  read  every  book  published  on  the  subject,  and  if 
he   does   not   govern    Great   Britain   according   to   the 

14 


Mr.  Asquith's  Personality 

tastes  of  his  opponents,  he  tries  to  do  it  conscien- 
tiously, and  at  least  has  brought  vast  knowledge  and 
erudition  to  the  task  he  has  assumed. 

As  a  companion  and  neighbour  at  dinner,  Mr. 
Asquith  has  always  been  quite  delightful  and  most 
entertaining,  a  superior  mind,  and  a  pleasant  talker, 
who  knew  how  to  give  a  particular  interest  to  all 
questions  which  he  handled,  even  the  driest.  He 
possesses,  too,  a  natural  dignity  and  a  quiet  courage. 
These  enabled  him  to  reply  with  indifference  to  the 
storms  of  abuse  which  were  showered  upon  his  head, 
even  at  that  earlier  time  when  Suffragettes  were  still 
unknown.  His  long  experience  at  the  Bar  had  given 
him  considerable  insight  into  the  human  mind,  and 
hardened  him  in  a  certain  sense ;  but  it  had  not 
hardened  his  heart  nor  destroyed  his  sympathies  for 
the  cause  of  the  public  good,  which  he  considered  it 
his  duty  as  a  Minister  of  the  Crown  to  forward  to  the 
best  of  his  abilities. 

Before  relating  my  impressions  of  others  of  Mr. 
Gladstone's  circle  I  will  speak  of  my  first  meeting  with 
him.  It  must  be  conceded  to  Mr.  Gladstone  that  he 
had  known  how  to  surround  himself  with  very  clever 
colleagues  ;  his  whole  Cabinet  was  composed  of  seri- 
ous, and  each  in  his  own  way,  remarkable  men.  John 
Morley,  now  Viscount  Morley,  was  perhaps  the  one  I 
admired  the  most  among  them,  and  whenever  I  met 
him  I  endeavoured  to  induce  him  to  sit  by  me  and 
engage  in  conversation.  It  was  not  always  easy, 
as  London  during  the  season  is  a  place  where  it  is 
impossible  to  sit  down  except  at  dinner,  life  being  a 
constant     rush     from     one     house     to     another,     rest 

15 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

being  only  possible  in  one's  carriage  or  in  one's  bed 
when  one  happens  to  find  time  to  sleep. 

John  Morley's  mind  was  far  stronger  than  Glad- 
stone's, and  his  intelligence  certainly  superior  to  the 
Grand  Old  Man's,  being  at  the  same  time  more  serious 
and  more  practical.  He  did  not  indulge  in  Utopian 
dreams  ;  he  was  a  statesman,  a  thinker,  a  writer  of 
great  and  real  merit,  and  a  scholar  who  found  in 
study  a  solace  for  all  his  cares.  He  was  a  staunch 
Liberal  of  the  old  Whig  school,  but  somehow  gave 
me  the  impression  of  not  being  such  an  admirer  of  his 
chief  as  was  generally  believed,  and  this  in  spite  of 
the  book  which  he  consecrated  to  his  memory. 

It  seems  to  me  even  now  that  his  admiration  was 
given  rather  to  the  principles  of  the  party,  of  which 
Mr.  Gladstone  was  the  leader,  than  exclusively  to 
Gladstone  himself.  Morley  was  perhaps  the  one  man 
among  those  whom  I  have  met  who  knew  history  the 
most  thoroughly,  and  by  the  word  "  history  "  I  do 
not  mean  exclusively  English  history,  but  that  of 
Europe  in  general.  His  judgments,  if  less  impartial 
than  were  Ranke's  for  instance,  reminded  me  of  those 
of  the  latter,  for  he  never  allowed  prejudice  to  interfere 
with  his  appreciation  of  great  men's  actions  or  deeds, 
I  remember  one  night  talking  with  him  about  Mignet's 
history  of  Mary  Stuart,  and  he  admitted  that  it  was 
a  very  interesting  work,  adding  a  remark  I  have  never 
forgotten,  and  which  was  an  excellent  characteristic 
of  the  work  of  the  French  historian  :  "  It  is  a  pity  that 
whilst  showing  himself  relatively  just  in  his  judgment 
of  the  conduct  of  that  Queen,  he  spoilt  the  effect  of 
his  whole  work  by  not  closing  it  with  the  account  of 

16 


Lord  and  Lady  Kimberley 

her  execution.  Instead,  he  added  some  pages  of  appre- 
ciation and  remarks  that  detract  from  the  strength  of 
his  description  of  her  last  hours." 

The  remark  was  perfectly  true,  and  re-reading  the 
book  I  found  myself  often  thinking  of  what  he  said. 
But  then  M.  Mignet  was  a  Frenchman,  and  French 
authors  always  add  sentimental  remarks  where  they 
are  not  needed.  The  solemnity  attending  great  calam- 
ities, which  it  is  always  better  to  relate  simply  and 
without  comment,  is  unknown  to  them,  and  if  I  may 
say  so,  one  sees  that  the  influence  which  Shakespeare's 
genius  exercised  on  English,  German,  and,  in  a  certain 
sense,  Russian  literature  is  absent  in  French  writing. 

The  Secretary  for  India,  Lord  Kimberley,  was  a 
diplomat  of  the  ancient  school,  at  the  same  time  a 
representative  of  a  type  of  old  Whig  which  is  fast 
dying  out,  if  it  has  not  died  out  entirely.  He  was  a 
little  pompous,  a  little  stiff,  though  extremely  cour- 
teous— a  man  who  looked  most  seriously  on  politics, 
identifying  them  perhaps  too  much  with  those  of  the 
party  to  which  he  belonged,  but  incapable  of  the  in- 
trigues to  which  modern  diplomacy,  unfortunately,  is 
prone  in  these  degenerate  days.  He  could  not  be 
anything  else  biit  a  gentleman.  He  was  true,  loyal, 
sincere,  and  any  interests  confided  to  his  care  were 
well  attended  to  and  entirely  safe  in  his  hands.  He 
was  a  charming  talker  when  he  gave  himself  that 
trouble,  and  a  most  pleasant  host  to  his  guests  ;  a 
man  one  liked  to  meet,  and  who  would  not  soon  be 
forgotten. 

As  for  Lady  Kimberley,  I  was  extremely  fond  of 
her.     She  was  not  generally  popular,  on  account  of  her 

c  17 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

very  sharp  manner,  and  was  terribly  dreaded,  especi- 
ally by  women.  But  she  was  the  cleverest,  most 
amusing  person  to  talk  to,  a  delightful  companion, 
full  of  wit  and  humour,  bright  and  caustic.  She  could 
seize  unerringly  upon  the  funny  side  of  every  question, 
and  notice  the  various  oddities  of  other  people  as 
well  as  her  own. 

I  remember  that  at  the  Queen's  drawing-room  I 
happened  to  be  standing  not  far  from  her.  After  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  had  made  its  curtsy  to  the  Princess 
of  Wales,  and  taken  up  its  position  opposite  the  throne, 
whilst  the  general  public  filed  past,  she  beckoned  me 
to  her,  and  kept  making  remarks  on  the  various  people 
present,  with  such  wit  and  irony  that  I  had  the  greatest 
difficulty  to  prevent  myself  laughing  outright,  which 
delighted  the  old  lady,  who,  I  believe,  would  have 
given  a  good  deal  to  see  me  offend  the  solemnity  of 
the  occasion  by  an  outburst  of  mirth. 

Lady  Kimberley  was  fond  of  me— why,  I  have 
never  been  able  to  discover.  She  was  extremely  kind, 
and  invited  me  to  her  house  several  times.  I  must 
say  I  quite  reciprocated  the  feeling,  and  was  very  sorry 
when,  shortly  after  I  had  left  London,  I  heard  of  her 
death. 

Mr.  Gladstone  had  another  great  nobleman  in  his 
Cabinet,  the  Marquis  of  Ripon  ;  a  statesman  of  unblem- 
ished character,  high  honour,  stainless  reputation,  and 
moral  courage,  that  rare  thing  nowadays,  which  he 
showed  at  the  crisis  of  his  political  life,  when  he  boldly 
renounced  the  Anglican  faith  to  enter  the  Roman 
communion. 

I  cannot  say  he  was  a  man  of  extraordinary  intelli- 

18 


Mr.  Winston  Churchill 

gence,  and  I  believe  it  was  more  to  the  importance 
of  his  position  than  to  his  personal  capacities  that 
he  owed  his  political  successes  and  career.  But  the 
integrity  of  his  conduct,  the  sincerity  of  his  opinions, 
which  never  allowed  him  to  be  drawn  into  any  in- 
trigue that  would  compromise  his  party,  made  him 
an  exceedingly  valuable  supporter,  and  inspired  in 
others  a  confidence  which  perhaps  they  would  not  have 
awarded  to  the  same  extent  to  Mr.  Gladstone,  who 
was  well  advised  when  he  invited  Lord  Ripon  to  enter 
his  Cabinet  as  Secretary  of  State  for  India. 

At  that  time  Mr.  Winston  Churchill  had  just 
emerged  from  the  schoolroom,  and  none,  except  his 
intimate  friends,  would  have  supposed  he  was  going 
one  day  to  become  so  important  a  personage. 

I  remember  meeting  him  at  Ford  Manor,  the  house 
of  Mrs.  Beresford  Melville,  the  mother  of  Mr.  Spender 
Clay.  She  asked  us  once  to  spend  a  week-end  with 
her.  Winston  Churchill  was  scarcely  more  than  a 
boy,  but  just  as  exuberant  as  he  is  now.  Perhaps  less 
so,  though,  because  he  had  not  yet  taken  himself  quite 
au  serieux,  and  had  yet  to  drink  from  the  cup  of  success. 
He  had  all  the  brightness  and  cleverness  and  eccen- 
tricity which  distinguishes  the  Churchills.  Even  then 
he  was  most  amusing  and  entertaining,  and  liked  to 
talk  about  his  future  career,  being  already  convinced 
that  he  was  to  become  Prime  Minister  of  a  regenerated 
England,  whose  prophet  was  to  be  the  great  Duke  of 
Marlborough,  and  whose  recognised  divinity  the  omni- 
potence of  the  Churchills  in  every  possible  event  con- 
nected with  its  existence  and  prosperity. 

The  impudence  of  that  younger  scion  of  this  illus- 

19 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

trious  house  bordered  on  the  marvellous,  and  was  most 
amusing  to  watch.  It  was  an  education  in  itself  to 
listen  to  him ;  it  opened  new  horizons  as  to  what 
modern  youth  can  rise  to  ;  and  between  his  disdainful 
insouciance,  his  ready  wit,  his  vanity,  and  the  real 
cleverness  which  he  undoubtedly  possessed,  he  made  a 
delightful  creature,  whose  acquaintance  provided  one 
with  incessant  and  constantly  renewed  enjoyment, 
whom  one  was  longing  to  meet  again,  but  devoutly 
thankful  not  to  possess  among  the  members  of  one's 
own  family. 

I  was  once  talking  about  him  with  my  old  friend. 
Sir  Mount  Stuart  Grant  Duff,  and  wondering  at  the 
exuberance  which  characterised  the  personality  of  the 
son  of  Lord  Randolph  Churchill,  about  whom  he  had 
often  spoken  to  me,  but  whom  I  had  never  met.  He 
summed  Winston  up  in  a  manner  that  I  cannot  help 
recalling  here.  "  Winston,"  he  said,  "  is  a  curious 
mixture  of  American  impudence  and  English  caution, 
and  I  feel  sure  that  later  on  his  wildest  acts  in  life  will 
be  very  wisely  premeditated."  I  have  often  remem- 
bered this  appreciation  from  a  man  who  had  perhaps 
more  closely  studied  human  nature  than  most  of  his 
contemporaries. 

Sir  Blount stuart  in  general  was  a  keen  observer, 
and  his  characteristic  observations  of  the  people  whom 
he  knew  were  always  interesting,  and  very  seldom 
mistaken.  I  thus  remember  his  writing  to  me  after 
the  death  of  Sir  Robert  Morier,  who  had  been  for  some 
years  English  Ambassador  in  St.  Petersburg,  the  follow- 
ing lines,  which  perhaps  describe  that  remarkable  man 
better  than  anything  that  has  ever  been  said  about  him  : 

20 


a 

O 

p 
o 

1-1 

o 

H 


O 


o- 

X 
o 

H 
K 


Among  the  Historians 

"  Poor  Morier  has  gone  at  last.  You  must  have 
known  him.  In  one  respect  he  rose  to  the  ideal  which 
I  keep  before  the  minds  of  my  sons,  and  of  all  young 
diplomatists  whom  I  know.  He  took  trouble,  and  a 
great  deal  of  trouble,  to  understand  the  countries  in 
which  he  served,  but  in  many  other  ways  he  left 
much  to  be  desired,  while  his  temper  was  that  of  a 
demon. 

"  We  were  at  Balliol  together  from  1847-49,  though 
he  was  a  couple  of  years  or  a  trifle  more  my  senior, 
and  we  wxre  often  in  close  sympathy  in  political  and 
economic  questions  ;  very  intimate  acquaintances, 
though  never  exactly  friends.  He  was  too  capricious 
and  self-willed  to  be  capable  of  friendship,  save  per- 
haps for  Jowett,  through  whom  it  was  that  he  ever 
became  homme  serieux  at  all." 

There  was  one  person  I  always  liked  to  see  when- 
ever I  happened  to  be  in  London,  and  that  was  Lecky, 
the  critic  and  historian.  Lecky  possessed  the  quality 
of  exercising  a  peculiar  fascination  over  those  who 
knew  him  well.  His  conversation  was  never  trivial, 
never  dull,  never  commonplace,  even  when  it  covered 
commonplace  subjects.  Whenever  I  used  to  see  him 
at  any  of  the  parties  at  which  I  was  present,  I  tried 
to  get  near  him  at  the  first  opportunity.  He  was 
a  charming  man,  and  one  from  whom  one  could 
not  fail  to  learn  something  in  some  way  or  other. 
Mrs.  Lecky,  who  was  Dutch  by  birth,  made  a  fitting 
companion  for  her  distinguished  husband,  and  in  her 
way  possessed  just  such  a  remarkable  mind  as  he  did. 
They  used  to  give  dinners  that  were  delightful,  and 
luncheons  that  were  still  more  pleasant,  because  one 

21 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

could  then   see   them   at  their   best,   and   enjoy  their 
society  better  than  at  any  large  party. 

I  did  not  meet  many  journalists  in  London,  with 
the  exception  of  one  who  is  remembered  to  this  day 
by  all  who  knew  him.  I  mean  Moberly  Bell,  the 
manager  of  The  Times,  with  his  leonine  head,  his  loud 
voice  and  domineering  personality.  Moberly  Bell  went 
everywhere,  and  knew  everybody,  and  entertained 
everybody  of  note  at  dinners  which  were  as  amusing 
as  they  were  execrable.  He  invited  about  three  times 
as  many  people  as  his  rooms  would  contain,  but  no 
one  ever  dreamed  of  refusing,  for  there  one  would 
meet  all  the  leading  men  and  politicians  in  England, 
with  a  good  sprinkling  of  foreigners,  together  with  the 
loveliest  women  and  the  smartest  men  in  London. 

Who  has  forgotten  Moberly  Bell  ?     He  had  man- 
aged  to   create   for   himself   quite    a   unique    position, 
and   was    more   and   better   initiated   into   all   the   in- 
tricacies of  foreign  politics  than  many  diplomats  and 
statesmen.     He  had  just  enough  love  for  intrigue  to 
care  for   every   kind   of  gossip,    and   just   enough   dis- 
cretion to  refrain  from  showing  how  much  he  knew  — 
or  guessed  ;    for  he  used  to  guess  a  good  deal.     A  most 
cheerful    companion    and  excellent  host,  he  contrived 
to  make  it  the  fashion  to  visit  his  house,  and  under 
the   pretext   of  having   strict   Conservative   principles, 
had  more  than  once  procured  the  support  of  the  Thun- 
derer to  the  Liberal  party.     At  The  Times  office  he  was 
execrated,   as  he  was   supposed   to  have  changed  the 
spirit  and  direction  of  the  paper,  and  to  have  intro- 
duced a   taint  of  commercialism  that  previously  had 
been  unknown  within  its  precincts.    He  was  essentially 

22 


Lord  and  Lady  Reay 

a  man  of  his  time,  caring  for  nothing  but  success  : 
determined,  bold,  keenly  enterprising,  but  kind  and 
genial,  and  quite  content  to  know  that  he  was  a  power 
in  his  way,  with  whom  other  powers  had  to  reckon. 

Mrs.  Mobcrly  Bell  was  a  charming  woman,  a  keen 
observer,  and  possessed  wonderful  tact.  She  never 
intruded  or  imposed  herself  on  anyone,  but  under  her 
exquisite  courtesy  there  lay  a  good  deal  of  personal 
intelligence  which  rendered  her  in  tete-a-tete  talks  ex- 
tremely entertaining. 

There  are  many  other  people  about  whom  I  should 
like  to  say  something —people  who  helped  to  make 
London  the  delightful  place  it  was.  Space  fails  me, 
and  yet  there  are  many  names  which  come  back  to 
my  memory,  each  worthy  of  a  special  chapter.  For 
instance.  Lady  Stanley  of  Alderley,  who  at  eighty-five 
or  eighty-six  used  to  go  out  to  dinner  and  enjoy  life 
more  than  many  girls  of  eighteen ;  Lady  Dorothy 
Nevill,  whose  witty  books  have  given  us  so  good  an 
idea  of  what  society  was  in  the  middle  and  latter  part 
of  last  century  ;  Lord  and  Lady  Reay  :  he  a  poet,  a 
scholar,  a  man  of  letters,  and  a  member  of  many  aca- 
demies, a  Dutchman  by  birth  and  an  Englishman  by 
education,  who  spoke  French  like  a  native  ;  and  his 
wife,  stately,  polite,  fond  of  entertaining  and  exceedingly 
generous.  Their  house  was  one  of  the  most  hospitable 
in  London,  and  their  dinners  and  lunches  had  no  equal. 
And  Hamilton  Aide,  that  novelist  who  was  so  essen- 
tially a  man  of  the  world  that  no  reception  seemed 
complete  without  his  presence.  And  Sir  Henry  Stanley, 
the  traveller,  who  was  lionised  by  society  until  his 
death,  but  whom  I  disliked. 

23 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

One  other  notability  I  should  mention  who  was 
associated  with  Gladstone.  At  the  time  I  first  met 
him,  Lord  Rosebery  was  at  the  zenith  of  his  fame, 
having  won  the  Derby  and  awaiting  the  moment 
when  he  should  be  called  to  take  the  place  of  Mr. 
Gladstone.  He  is  a  man  of  refined  tastes,  great  erudi- 
tion, a  politician  more  by  chance  than  by  real  ambi- 
tion. He  reminded  me  of  a  man  who  was  eager  to 
rise,  but  who,  having  done  so,  was  unable  to  remain 
on  the  height  to  which,  more  than  his  own  efforts, 
events  had  carried  him.  Lord  Rosebery  was  the  his- 
torian who  perhaps  had  been  the  first  Englishman  to 
understand  the  psychology  of  the  great  Napoleon ; 
but  he  was  an  accidental  statesman,  in  whom  strong 
principles  were  missing,  convictions  were  wanting,  and 
in  whom  a  curious  mixture  of  lassitude  and  energy 
had  combated  until  they  had  made  him  a  failure  and 
politically  buried  him  before  his  time. 

All  these  folk  whom  I  watched  pass  by  were  full 
of  interest  to  me,  and  perhaps  in  that  agglomeration 
of  remarkable  and  curious  men  and  women  gathered 
together  in  one  place,  London  is  a  unique  spot.  In 
other  countries  one  can  find,  perhaps,  just  as  many 
learned  and  clever  persons  ;  but  then  they  live  in  vari- 
ous parts,  mostly  in  a  set  of  their  own,  where  it  is  next 
to  impossible  for  the  outsider  to  obtain  an  entrance, 
whereas  in  London  one  meets  them  at  every  turn. 

Once  at  a  garden  party — I  cannot  just  remember 
where — my  attention  was  directed  to  a  small,  rather 
stout  person,  who  spoke  and  moved  with  that  free- 
dom which  belongs  to  people  who  know  they  have 
become  famous.     When  I  asked  who  it  was,  the  reply 

24 


Two  Famous  Novelists 

rather  staggered  me.  It  was  Miss  Marie  Corelli,  whom 
I  had  been  longing  to  know,  and  whose  wonderful  book, 
"  Barabbas,"  had  moved  me  so  deeply.  I  was  the 
more  astonished,  I  expect,  because  her  personality 
was  so  different  from  what,  in  my  mind,  I  had  pictured 
it.  I  had  imagined  a  tall,  slim,  lily-like  woman,  with 
a  soft  voice  and  dreamy  eyes,  and  I  was  consider- 
ably amused  to  discover  how  far  from  my  expecta- 
tion was  this  author,  who  undoubtedly  possessed  a 
wonderful  genius  which  could  move  her  readers  in- 
tensely. 

There  is  another  woman  among  the  authors  of 
the  latter  half  of  last  century  whom  I  knew  rather 
well,  but  in  Florence.  I  mean  "  Ouida,"  whose  books 
made  such  a  stir  at  one  time.  She  was  a  most  original 
person,  who  possessed  power  and  strength  in  her 
writings,  although  some  of  her  books  were  too  exag- 
gerated to  influence  those  who  read  them.  "  Ouida  " 
was  essentially  a  sympathetic  person,  if  only  through 
her  love  for  animals,  her  pity  for  everything  that 
suffered,  and  for  every  human  misery  or  affliction. 

Decidedly  London  was  a  charming  place,  and 
among  the  many  memories  that  crowd  one  upon 
another  in  my  already  long  life,  those  connected  with 
my  numerous  journeys  in  England  rank  among  the 
most  pleasant,  and  are  those  I  like  best  to  dwell  upon. 


25 


CHAPTER    III 

MORE    ENGLISH    IMPRESSIONS 

WE  went  much  about  London  during  the  three 
months  we  spent  there,  and  saw  ahnost  every- 
thing and  everybody  worth  seeing.  Among  the  people 
with  whom  I  became  more  intimate  was  my  friend 
Sir  Mountstuart  Grant  Duff,  formerly  Governor  of 
Madras.  He  lived  within  easy  distance  from  London, 
at  York  House,  Twickenham,  and  used  to  give  pleas- 
ant little  Sunday  parties.  This  historic  mansion  had 
been  the  home  of  Anne  Hyde,  the  first  wife  of 
James  II.,  and  later  on  had  sheltered  the  exiled 
Orleans  family.  Lady  Grant  Duff  was  also  an  ami- 
able woman,  rather  rigid,  and  with  less  broadness  of 
view  in  her  character  than  her  husband,  but  very 
highly  cultured,  intelligent  though  shy,  and  com- 
pletely overawed  by  her  eldest  daughter,  an  enter- 
prising young  lady  who  was  a  perfect  example  of 
what  a  latter-day  girl  wishes  to  be. 

Sir  Mountstuart  was  one  of  the  gentlest  men  I 
have  ever  met.  He  had  an  undercurrent  of  dreamy 
philosophy,  allied  to  that  high  serenity  one  meets 
only  in  very  lofty  characters.  He  was  a  lover  of 
everything  beautiful,  everything  good,  everything  that 
rose  above  the  usual  fret  of  earthly  existence.  He 
was  not  a  man  of  action,  and  it  was  difficult  to  believe 

26 


Sir  Mountstuart  Grant  DufF 

he  could  ever  have  played  a  part  in  the  political  life 
of  his  country  ;  he  seemed  so  much  more  fit  to  spend 
his  time  thinking  about  the  great  people  he  had  met 
and  the  great  books  he  had  read,  among  the  lovely 
roses  of  his  peaceful  garden. 

I  often  took  opportunity  to  visit  York  House, 
and  we  remained  in  correspondence  with  its  master 
for  a  long  time.  He  had  been  a  great  friend  and 
admirer  of  Renan,  about  whom  he  has  written  a 
book  which  I  think  is  the  best  character  study  that 
has  ever  been  made  of  the  French  writer,  whose  turn 
of  mind  harmonised  so  well  with  that  of  Sir  Mount- 
stuart Grant  Duff's,  though  Renan' s,  perhaps,  had 
more  objectivity  in  it,  but  with  just  as  much  indul- 
gence. After  his  admiration  for  Renan's  books  Sir 
Mountstuart  cared  for  a  little  volume  that  drew  on 
the  head  of  its  author  so  many  curses  from  the  Roman 
clergy.  It  was  that  essentially  Catholic,  pious  book, 
Mrs.  Augustus  Craven's  "  Recit  d'une  Soeur  "  ;  it  seemed 
about  the  last  work  that  could  have  appealed  to  a  crit- 
ical Protestant  mind.  But  then,  was  Sir  Mountstuart  a 
Protestant  ?  He  always  appeared  to  me  to  represent 
the  perfect  type  of  a  religious  freethinker,  of  one  who 
worshipped  God  in  His  works,  who  rejected  supersti- 
tion in  whatever  shape  or  form  it  presented  itself  to 
him,  and  who  liked  to  pray  where  it  appealed  to  him 
to  do  so,  without  inquiring  as  to  the  creed  of  the 
church  where  he  had  found  his  Maker  present.  He, 
rather,  only  saw  in  it  the  place  where  the  divine  spark 
had  touched  him  and  made  him  bend  the  knee  before 
a  divinity  he  believed  in. 

Very  different  from  my  old  friend  was  Mr.  Glad- 

27 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

stone,  whom  I  met  for  the  first  time  at  a  dinner  given 
at  the  Russian  Embassy.  The  moment  I  had  been 
introduced,  the  words  of  Merimee  concerning  him  re- 
curred to  my  mind,  when  he  had  written  after  having 
been  asked  to  stay  at  Hawarden  for  a  week-end  : 

"  Mr.  Gladstone  produced  on  me  the  impression 
of  being  at  times  a  man  of  genius,  and  at  others  a 
child."  Further  on  he  added  :  "  There  is  in  him 
something  of  the  child,  of  the  statesman,  and  of  the 
madman." 

And  certainly  the  framing  of  the  Home  Rule  Bill 
justified  this  appreciation. 

Personally,  I  have  never  understood  the  great 
charm  which  Mr.  Gladstone  was  supposed  to  possess. 
It  is  true  that  I  have  never  heard  him  speak  in  public, 
but  in  private  life  he  had  the  habit,  which  jarred 
considerably  on  the  nerves  of  those  with  whom  he 
happened  to  be  surrounded,  of  talking  with  them  as  if 
he  were  speaking  to  the  whole  world.  One  could  feel 
that  the  people  with  whom  he  was  entertaining  him- 
self were  only  for  him  accessory  beings  ;  he  was  think- 
ing the  whole  time  of  the  impression  which  he  pro- 
duced on  the  world  in  general,  and  even  on  those  to 
whom  he  did  not  directly  address  himself.  He  was 
continually  listening  to  his  own  voice  and  looking 
around  him  in  order  to  notice  whether  Peter,  with 
whom  he  had  nothing  to  do,  had  listened  and  was 
admiring  his  words  just  as  much  as  Paul,  to  whom  they 
had  been  addressed,  and  with  whom  he  was  discussing 
some  question  or  other. 

This  seemed  to  me  to  be  an  inferior  trait  in  the 
character  of  a  statesman,  and  it  explains  perhaps  why 

28 


Queen  Victoria  and  Mr.  Gladstone 

he  never  succeeded  in  imposing  his  personaHty  even 
upon  his  own  friends  and  supporters  with  the  strength 
displayed,  for  instance,  by  Lord  Beaconsfield  who,  very 
differently  from  him,  would  have  taken  the  same  care 
to  convince  a  six-year-old  child  of  what  he  wanted 
him  to  learn  as  any  political  assembly  before  which 
he  had  to  unfold  a  development  in  the  system  of 
government. 

The  weak  point  in  Mr.  Gladstone's  personality  was 
his  vanity  and  the  admiration  it  inspired  him  to  enter- 
tain for  his  own  perfections.  He  believed  seriously 
in  everything  concerning  himself,  even  in  the  good 
intentions  which  he  only  imagined  he  possessed.  He 
did  not  admit  any  weakness  in  his  personality,  not 
even  that  of  his  age.  I  am  pretty  sure  that  if  he 
ever  thought  about  his  eighty-four  or  eighty-five 
years  it  was  only  in  changing  the  order  of  their 
numerals.  He  possessed  aspirations,  but  not  real 
statesmanlike  faculties,  and  was  by  instinct  a  kind  of 
revolutionary  individual  who  destroyed  what  he  found 
in  his  way  as  naturally  as  he  ate  his  dinner,  but 
who,  having  received  a  refined  education,  imagined 
he  was  not  a  Radical,  in  the  same  way  that  cer- 
tain people  imagine  they  are  clean  because  they  wash 
their  hands.  Whenever  he  took  an  idea  into  his 
head  he  would  not  see  anything  beyond  it,  he  would 
listen  to  no  advice  or  criticism,  nor  even  hear  reason 
on  what  he  was  about  to  do.  His  attitude  was  like 
a  firework  which  begins  with  a  fuse  and  ends  in 
smoke. 

Queen  Victoria  bore  with  him,  whilst  abominating 
him  in  the  secrecy  of  her  soul,  and  whenever  she  found 

29 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

herself  in  his  presence  she  used  to  confine  herself 
strictly  to  her  position  of  a  Constitutional  Sovereign, 
refusing  to  discuss  with  him  any  political  question. 
Her  common  sense,  of  which  she  had  a  considerable 
amount,  suffered  in  having  to  witness  the  want  of  real 
logic  which  constituted  the  essence  of  Mr.  Gladstone's 
character,  and  she  realised  but  too  well  that  in  poli- 
tics it  is  impossible  to  be  ruled  by  words  or  fine 
phrases.  Eloquence  alone  has,  perhaps,  thrust  a 
nation  along  one  path  or  another,  but  it  has  never 
saved  it  from  any  ill  or  misfortune,  and  Queen  Victoria 
was  too  sincere  a  patriot  not  to  understand  this  fact. 

To  give  an  idea  of  the  hatred  inspired  by  Mr.  Glad- 
stone in  certain  Conservative  circles,  I  will  relate  an 
anecdote  that  will  illustrate  it  better  than  anything 
I  could  say.  I  had  an  old  friend  in  the  person  of  the 
late  Lord  Wharncliffe,  regarding  him  as  the  per- 
sonification of  a  great  English  nobleman,  whose  wife, 
let  it  be  said  en  imssanU  did  not  look  upon  me  with 
over-indulgent  eyes,  and  certainly  did  not  exhibit  any 
amiable  feelings  where  I  was  concerned.  Well,  just 
before  I  left  London  I  went  to  say  good-bye  to  Lord 
Wliarncliffe,  whom  I  found  suffering  from  a  violent 
attack  of  gout.  When  I  expressed  to  him  my  sym- 
pathy, he  suddenly  replied  :  "  Yes,  I  am  suffering  very 
much  ;  but  still  one  thing  comforts  me,  that  is  the 
thought  that  it  isn't  the  tenth  part  of  what  that  old 
devil  of  a  Gladstone  will  endure  in  hell  !  " 

Mrs.  Gladstone  was  also  a  peculiar  sort  of  person  ; 
any  amount  of  humorous  stories  were  related  con- 
cerning her.  I  cannot  help  reproducing  two  of  them, 
as  they  are  rather  out  of  the  common,  and  have  the 

30 


Life's  Little  Comedies 

merit  of  being  funny.  One  day  the  Prime  Minister 
and  his  wife  had  been  asked  to  dine  at  Windsor  Castle. 
The  guests  had  all  assembled,  and  the  Queen  herself 
had  made  her  entrance,  but  Mrs.  Gladstone  was  miss- 
ing. At  last,  getting  impatient,  Her  Majesty  was 
about  to  pass  into  the  dining-room  when,  breathless 
and  flurried,  the  consort  of  England's  Premier  entered, 
draped  in  a  bath  towel  over  which  she  had  pinned  a 
black  lace  shawl,  more  or  less  effectively.  Very  un- 
happy and  distressed,  she  explained  that  her  maid 
had  forgotten  to  put  into  her  trunk  the  bodice  of  her 
dress,  and  that  she  had  been  obliged  to  supply  as  well 
as  she  could  the  deficiency. 

As  it  was  already  long  past  the  time  when  dinner 
ought  to  have  been  served,  the  Queen  took  her  seat 
at  once  without  further  explanations,  and  the  meal 
proceeded  to  its  end  ;  but  when  leaving  the  dining- 
room  the  Princess  Beatrice  noticed  something  hang- 
ing on  to  Mrs.  Gladstone's  train,  and  asked  her  what 
it  was.  It  turned  out  to  be  the  missing  bodice,  that 
had  been  pinned  on  to  its  legitimate  skirt,  a  fact 
which  its  owner  had  not  perceived  whilst  dressing  for 
dinner,  through  the  usual  hurry  which  characterised 
everything  she  did. 

The  other  story  is  rather  more  difficult  to  relate, 
and  I  must  ask  the  reader's  indulgence  beforehand. 
One  day  Mr.  Gladstone  was  to  speak  at  a  public  meet- 
ing ;  his  wife,  fearing  he  might  get  hungry,  had 
provided  herself  with  some  sandwiches,  which  she 
carried  with  her  to  have  ready  in  any  case  ;  but,  not 
knowing  where  she  could  put  them  without  people 
noticing  them,   she   at   last   decided   to   hide  them   in 

31 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

the  bodice  of  her  dress.  Mr.  Gladstone  began  his 
speech,  when  suddenly  those  sitting  next  to  Mrs. 
Gladstone  saw  that  she  was  getting  very  fidgety  and 
looking  most  miserable.  Inquiries  elicited  the  fact 
that  the  heat  had  caused  the  unfortunate  sandwiches, 
which  were  to  refresh  the  Prime  Minister,  to  become 
warm,  and  so  the  mustard  they  contained  was  pro- 
ducing on  the  bearer  of  them— for  one  could  hardly 
call  her  anything  else— the  impression  of  a  very  large 
sinapism  ! 

Whether  these  anecdotes  were  true  or  not  it  is 
difficult  to  say ;  but  poor  Mrs.  Gladstone,  by  her 
demeanour,  savoured  but  too  often  of  ridicule.  Only 
her  admiration  for  her  William  was  most  touching  and 
sincere— more  so,  perhaps,  than  his  repeated  assur- 
ances of  his  great  love  for  this  faithful  wife. 

Speaking  about  the  Liberal  Party  reminds  me  of  a 
charming  definition  which  I  heard  Lord  Beaconsfield 
make  one  day,  and  which  is  as  delightful  as  all  his 
sayings  were.  "  A  Conservative,"  he  told  me,  "  is  a 
man  who  changes  his  shirt  every  day  ;  the  Liberal 
does  it  once  a  week,  and  the  Radical  whenever  he 
finds  the  opportunity." 

Poor  Lord  Beaconsfield  had  been  dead  a  number 
of  years  at  the  time  of  the  particular  London  season 
I  am  describing,  but  Lord  Salisbury  and  his  clever 
wife  were  still  of  this  world  and  dispensed  a  truly 
royal  hospitality  at  Hatfield  House.  I  was  very  fond 
of  Lady  Salisbury,  who  had  always  treated  me  with 
the  greatest  kindness.  She  was  in  her  way  just  as 
remarkable  as  her  wonderful  husband,  full  of  humour 
and  fun,  never  pedantic,  nor  overbearing;    indulgent 

32 


Stately  Hatfield 

to  others  and  so  truly  kind,  in  spite  of  her  sharp 
tongue,  which  many  people  feared,  though  quite 
unjustly,  because  she  would  never  have  harmed  any- 
one. She  made  a  worthy  mistress  for  her  splendid 
castle  and  a  noble  successor  to  all  the  dames  of  high 
lineage  that  had  preceded  her. 

Hatfield  is  a  grand  place,  full  of  historical  remem- 
brances ;  to  begin  with,  a  collection  of  arms  that  had 
belonged  to  the  Armada,  and  ending  with  more  modern 
souvenirs,  which  all  bore  witness  to  the  important 
part  the  lords  of  that  stately  manor  had  played  in  the 
history  of  their  country.  When  in  the  evening,  at 
sunset,  one  sat  on  the  terrace,  with  the  old  pile  and  its 
ivy-covered  walls  towering  behind,  impressions  with- 
out number  crowded  on  the  mind  and  awoke  memo- 
ries of  noble  deeds  done  and  statesmanlike  acts  per- 
formed about  which  one  had  heard  and  read,  and 
which  suddenly  took  on  an  eerie  reality  that  carried 
one  back  to  long  bygone  and  glorious  times,  when 
Queen  Elizabeth  had  walked  in  the  alleys  of  that 
park  and  ridden  through  the  forests  surrounding  it. 

Of  all  the  stately  homes  of  England  I  have  visited, 
none  has  left  on  me  such  an  enduring  impression  as 
Hatfield  House.  WoUaton  Hall  was  perhaps  just  as 
stately,  Penshurst  Place  just  as  ancient,  Knole  just 
as  full  of  remembrances  ;  but  what  made  the  particu- 
lar charm  of  Hatfield  was  to  be  found  nowhere  else, 
perhaps  because  nowhere  else  could  one  meet  with 
such  perfect  harmony  between  a  place  and  its  owners. 
And  whereas,  so  often,  a  master's  death  changes  every- 
thing in  the  home  where  he  moved,  at  Hatfield  I  feel 
sure  such  has  not  been  the  case,  because  the  present 

D  33 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Lord  and  Lady  Salisbury  are  in  their  way  just  as 
remarkable  personages  as  the  famous  Minister  of 
Queen  Victoria  and  his  wife,  and  the  spirit  which 
pervaded  the  old  domain  of  the  Cecils  must  be  as 
alive  to-day  as  when,  over  twenty  years  ago,  I  was 
its  guest  and  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  long  conversa- 
tions with  its  master. 

Every  memory  I  have  of  London  is  full  of  exceed- 
ing interest.  I  do  not  think  that  in  any  other  city 
one  can  find  such  a  number  of  clever  and  highly  cul- 
tured and  intelligent  people  gathered  together  as  is 
the  case  during  the  few  weeks  of  the  London  season. 
England's  metropolis  draws  back  to  it  whoever  has 
once  learned  to  know  it  and  to  taste  its  pleasures. 
My  daughter,  in  spite  of  her  extreme  youth,  felt  this 
just  as  much  as  I  did,  and  it  was  with  renewed  interest 
and  eager  anticipation  that  we  returned  the  next 
summer  and  saw  once  again  all  our  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances of  the  year  before,  adding  a  few  more  to  their 
number  as  time  went  on. 

I  wish  I  could  now  remember  the  names  of  all  those 
we  saw,  and  of  all  the  places  we  went  to.  I  must, 
however,  mention  a  ball  at  Chelsea  House,  at  which 
the  late  Lady  Cadogan  presided  with  that  grace  that 
made  her  such  an  inimitable  hostess.  Then,  too,  there 
were  some  entertainments  at  Holland  House,  so  full 
of  treasures,  rare  works  of  art,  and  that  appearance  of 
rural  solitude  which  renders  it  such  a  unique  spot 
amidst  the  bustle  and  traffic  of  London.  We  were 
guests  on  another  day  at  a  garden  party  at  Montagu 
House,  where  the  wonderful  collection  of  miniatures 
attracted  my  attention. 

34 


The   Duchess   of  Devonshire 

I  remember,  too,  we  attended  two  or  three  re- 
ceptions at  Devonshire  House,  where  the  hvely  and 
once  lovely  Duchess  shone  in  the  splendour  of  her 
diamonds  and  in  all  the  pride  of  her  high  estate  and 
yellow  wig.  I  have  never  understood  why  she  wore 
that  wig,  which  certainly  did  not  make  her  look 
younger.  She  was  one  of  the  cleverest  women  of 
her  generation,  and  she  had  a  knowledge  of  the  world 
to  which  but  few  attain.  She  had  achieved  the  great- 
est social  triumphs  she  could  ever  have  aspired  to, 
and  yet  she  could  not  be  made  to  understand  that  her 
regular,  statuesque  features  would  have  produced  a 
far  more  pleasing  impression  if  she  had  accepted  the 
white  hair  that  formed  the  natural  appanage  of  her 
many  years,  and  bravely  realised  that  the  golden 
locks  which  had  made  her  beauty  so  renowned  in  a 
distant  past  were  now  inappropriate.  However,  seen 
standing  at  the  head  of  her  fine  white  marble  stair- 
case, she  appeared  quite  queenly,  if  slightly  disdain- 
ful, whenever  someone  whom  she  did  not  know  well, 
but  had  felt  obliged  to  invite,  passed  before  her, 
bending  low  as  he  might  have  done  to  a  sovereign. 
The  Duke,  with  the  broad  blue  ribbon  of  the  Garter 
across  his  breast,  stood  beside  her,  pompous,  bored,  but 
every  inch  a  grand  seigneur. 

The  Duchess  of  Devonshire  was  not  liked  by  every- 
body. She  was,  however,  in  reality  extremely  kind 
and  good-natured  —  at  least,  had  been  so  as 
Duchess  of  Manchester,  when,  perhaps,  she  had 
not  been  quite  so  sure  of  her  position  as  at  Devon- 
shire House.  She  was  always  amiable,  and  held  to 
the     maxim     that     an     invitation    costs    nothing    to 

35 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

give    and    provides    one    with    another    enemy    when 
refused. 

Another  Duchess,  formidable  in  appearance,  and 
stiff  as  only  an  English  Duchess  can  be,  was  the 
mother  of  Lord  Rosebery,  the  Duchess  of  Cleveland. 
When  I  was  introduced  to  her  at  a  house  where  I 
happened  to  be  one  afternoon,  she  began  by  looking 
at  me  from  head  to  foot,  then  said  loudly,  "  The 
Princess  Radziwill  ?  I  do  not  want  to  know  her"; 
then  turning  round,  as  if  intending  to  clear  a  doubt  that 
perhaps  arose  in  her  breast,  "  I  hope  you  are  not  the 
Princess  Anthony  Radziwill,  because  in  that  case  I 
don't  want  to  make  your  acquaintance."  I  hastened 
to  reassure  her  as  to  that  point,  then  mildly  inquired 
what  she  knew  about  my  sister-in-law  that  could 
have  made  her  so  determined  to  refuse  her  acquaint- 
ance. Upon  this  the  old  lady  confided  to  me  that 
whilst  at  Constantinople  she  had  become  very  friendly 
with  the  Princess  Radolin,  the  wife  of  the  German 
Ambassador  there,  the  niece  of  my  said  sister-in- 
law,  who  had  taken  her  out  into  society,  her  own 
mother  being  dead.  One  day,  for  some  reason,  my 
sister-in-law  boxed  her  ears.  The  Princess  had  never 
forgotten  or  forgiven  the  fact,  and  years  later  had 
related  the  story  to  the  Duchess  of  Cleveland,  who 
thereupon  had  determined  if  ever  she  met  the  Princess 
Anthony  Radziwill  to  make  her  feel  her  utter  dis- 
approbation of  her  conduct  in  regard  to  her  mother- 
less niece.  When  I  had  explained  to  her  that  I  was 
quite  a  different  person,  the  old  lady  thawed  a  little, 
and  even  relented  so  far  as  to  hold  out  to  me  two  icy 
fingers  when  I  took  leave  of  her. 

36 


High-Born   Hostesses 

London  was  very  gay  during  the  season  of  the  year 
1894,  the  principal  event  of  which  was  the  birth  of 
the  present  Prince  of  Wales.  A  few  hostesses  who 
generally  did  not  indulge  in  much  entertaining,  gave 
balls  rivalling  each  other  in  splendour  and  in  beauty 
of  floral  decoration.  The  Countess  Percy  invited  her 
friends  to  the  house  of  her  father-in-law,  the  Duke  of 
Northumberland,  and  though  that  entertainment  was 
afterwards  pronounced  to  have  been  one  of  the  dullest 
ever  seen,  I  cannot  say  I  carried  away  with  me  any 
impression  of  the  kind.  The  Countess  was  a  real  great 
lady,  dignified,  serene,  serious,  polite,  without  osten- 
tation, who  bore  herself  with  such  perfect  dignity  that 
many  a  Queen  might  have  envied  her.  She  had  been 
remarkably  pretty  in  her  youth,  and,  though  decidedly 
dowdy  in  her  dress,  had  preserved  the  regularity  of  her 
features  and  the  lovely  colour  of  her  hair.  She  was  the 
sister  of  the  Marquis  of  Lome  and  the  eldest  daughter 
of  the  Duke  of  Argyll,  and  a  great  favourite  with 
Queen  Victoria,  as  I  was  afterwards  told. 

Lord  Egerton  of  Tatton,  who,  during  that  same 
summer,  was  to  marry  my  friend  the  Duchess  of 
Buckingham  and  Chandos,  also  gave  a  ball  in  his  fine 
residence  at  St.  James's  Square,  and  the  Countess  of 
EUesmere  invited  us  to  her  receptions  in  that  splendid 
Bridgewater  House,  with  its  priceless  picture  gallery. 
And  then  we  had  the  opportunity  to  admire  the  beau- 
tiful young  Duchess  of  Sutherland,  looking  like  a 
fairy,  in  that  palace  called  Stafford  House,  which  is 
so  famous  in  the  annals  of  London. 

I  have  just  mentioned  the  loveliness  of  the  Duchess 
of   Sutherland.     To    my    mind   she   was   the   prettiest 

37 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

woman  in  England,  that  country  of  pretty  women. 
Less  classical  in  features  than  the  Duchess  of  Mont- 
rose, less  brilliant  than  the  famous  Buncombe  sisters, 
who,  with  the  exception  of  Lady  Helen  Vincent,  were 
rather  too  massive  in  form  and  figure,  she  was,  per- 
haps, sweeter  and  more  graceful,  having  a  peculiar 
charm  all  her  own,  and  a  gliding,  stately  kind  of  walk 
that  was  altogether  fascinating. 

The  Dowager  Lady  Dudley,  too,  was  still  one  of 
the  beauties  of  the  day,  and,  indeed,  notwithstanding 
her  grown-up  children,  could  very  well  compete  with 
many  a  younger  woman.  She  has  always  had  my  ut- 
most admiration,  as  she  realised  in  my  eyes  the  per- 
fection of  a  great  lady.  The  Duchess  of  Abercorn, 
too,  was  another  great  lady  of  striking  personality. 
She  had  a  wonderfully  dignified  air  when  she  entered 
the  ballroom  at  Buckingham  Palace,  with  her  priceless 
sapphires  round  her  neck.  My  admiration  also  went 
to  the  Duchess  of  Buccleuch,  that  ideal  of  a  grande 
dame,  so  simple  was  she  in  her  manners  and  so  stately 
in  her  bearing. 

We  made  several  visits  to  country  houses  during 
that  summer,  amongst  others,  to  Waddesdon  Manor, 
where  Baron  Ferdinand  Rothschild—"  Baron  Ferdy," 
as  his  friends  used  to  call  him— entertained  us  with 
that  rich  hospitality  which  is  proverbial  at  all  the 
Rothschilds'  houses.  Baron  Ferdy  was  a  delightful 
man,  clever,  well-read,  artistic  in  his  tastes,  a  lover 
of  everything  that  was  beautiful,  an  entirely  pleasant 
companion,  and  the  owner  of  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful houses  it  has  ever  been  my  lot  to  see.  His 
pictures,   especially  those  of  the  English  school,  were 

38 


Visit   to   Scotland 

priceless,  and  everything  about  his  home  appealed 
to  a  cultured  person's  taste. 

We  remained  in  London  until  the  end  of  July, 
then  settled  in  a  house  near  Sevenoaks  in  Kent,  where 
we  stayed  until  the  autumn.  Several  times  whilst 
there  I  saw  the  late  Lord  Stanhope  and  his  delightful, 
clever  wife,  who  showed  me  all  the  treasures  of  Cheven- 
ing,  their  lovely  home.  It  is  full  of  curious  and 
interesting  things,  especially  the  library,  with  its 
wealth  of  books  and  manuscripts,  among  which  figure 
the  original  letters  of  Lord  Chesterfield  to  his  illegiti- 
mate son,  Philip  Stanhope. 

Montreal  House,  of  which  Alice,  liady  Amherst, 
was  at  that  time  the  mistress,  was  also  a  place  full  of 
interest,  and  its  amiable  hostess  a  person  it  was  impos- 
sible to  know  and  not  to  like.  In  fact,  I  can  truly  say 
that  nearly  all  the  people  I  met  in  England  were  well 
worth  knowing,  and  had  either  one  thing  or  another 
to  recommend  them.  Few  were  dull  or  insignificant, 
and  what  perhaps  I  appreciated  most  in  English 
society  was  the  perfect  independence  that  presided 
over  it,  and  the  freedom  with  Avhich  one  was  able  to 
choose  friends  and  acquaintances. 

In  September  I  spent  a  few  days  in  Scotland, 
visiting  Edinburgh  on  my  way,  where  a  very  pleasant 
man,  Mr.  Maxwell  Stuart,  was  kind  enough  to  show 
me  everything  worth  seeing.  I  had  been  introduced 
to  him  at  Everingham  Park,  where  we  had  spent  a 
few  days  with  Lord  and  Lady  Herries,  the  parents  of 
the  present  Duchess  of  Norfolk. 

I  was  intensely  interested  in  seeing  the  curiosities 
of  the  Scottish  capital,   and  would  dearly  like  to  go 

39 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

there  again.  It  has  quite  a  charm  of  its  own,  and 
appeals  to  the  mind  as  well  as  to  any  artistic  leanings 
one  might  have.  Whilst  at  Holy  rood  we  were  shown 
over  the  apartments  occupied  by  the  ill-fated  Mary- 
Stuart.  The  old  keeper,  when  he  reached  a  small 
staircase  behind  the  bedroom  of  the  Queen,  showed 
us  a  brown  spot  on  the  floor,  and  suddenly  said,  in  a 
solemn,  mournful  tone,  "  This  is  the  spot  where  David 
Rizzio  was  murdered,  and,"  he  added  in  an  undertone, 
"  I  paint  this  stain  every  morning  afresh  !  " 

Seeing  us  burst  out  laughing,  and  feeling  evidently 
very  affronted  at  our  hilarity,  he  began  explaining  to 
us  that  some  years  ago  the  old  floor  had  been  removed 
and  replaced  by  a  new  one,  but  then  the  numerous 
Americans  who  visited  Holyrood  Palace  became  so 
indignant  at  not  finding  the  famous  bloodstains  about 
which  tradition  spoke,  and  questioned  him  with  such 
severity,  that  at  last,  in  sheer  desperation,  the  old  man 
determined  to  satisfy  them,  and  since  that  time  had 
"  painted  afresh  every  morning  "  a  stain  supposed  to 
represent  the  blood  of  Darnley's  victim. 


40 


CHAPTER  IV 

ENGLAND  THROUGH  THE  EYES  OF  A  FOREIGNER 

IF  anyone  asked  me  what  I  believed  to  be  necessary 
for  the  completion  of  a  young  man's  education,  I 
should  without  the  slightest  hesitation  reply,  "  a  year 
or  two  in  England."  For  in  order  to  understand  the 
true  significance  of  the  word  "  civilisation,"  it  is  neces- 
sary to  see  something  of  English  life,  study  English 
politeness,  as  well  as  to  understand  English  broad- 
ness of  view  and  tolerance  of  every  opinion. 

Politics  also  ought  to  be  studied  in  England,  if 
only  from  the  practical  point  of  view.  The  struggle 
for  political  supremacy  exists  nowhere  as  in  England, 
and  nowhere  either  is  it  conducted  on  more  courteous 
lines  than  in  that  country.  Indeed,  for  anyone  who 
knows  what  politics  mean  in  France  or  in  Germany, 
and  who  has  witnessed  the  battles  fought  in  those 
countries  on  questions  of  State,  it  is  soothing  to  think 
that  there  is  one  country  at  least  where  this  fight 
for  supremacy  does  not  interfere  in  any  way  with 
private  or  social  relations.  What  must  impress  every 
foreigner  is  the  perfect  urbanity  that  exists  among 
the  leaders  of  the  different  parties  in  their  conduct 
toward  each  other.  At  all  the  receptions  of  the  Head 
of  the  Government,  one  can  meet  the  leaders  of  the 
Opposition    and    its    principal    members,    which    alone 

41 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

proves  the  great  superiority  of  the  moral  and  intel- 
lectual standard  of  Englishmen  over  other  nations  of 
Europe. 

This  side  of  the  national  character,  I  regret  to  say, 
has  not  been  sufficiently  appreciated  abroad,  and  yet 
it  more  deserves  study  than  many  other  things  that 
have  attracted  the  attention  of  the  foreign  public. 
This  influence  also  permeates  the  social  life  of  London, 
and  considerably  adds  to  its  pleasantness.  For  one 
thing,  it  gives  the  opportunity  to  every  striking 
personality  to  mix  with  all  classes  of  society,  and 
does  not  confine  people  to  a  certain  circle. 

Life  in  England  is  conducted  on  broad  lines,  from 
the  intellectual  even  more  than  from  the  material 
point  of  view.  There  is  a  constant  interchange  of 
opinions,  and  everybody  is  interested  in  everything 
that  is  going  on. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  seems  to  be,  in  high 
society  circles,  the  absence  of  that  home  life  which  we 
have  been  taught  to  think  of  as  the  exclusive  property 
of  the  English  nation.  Home  life  in  the  upper  classes 
does  not  exist.  It  has  been  undermined  and  destroyed 
by  the  mania  for  constant  travelling,  and  that  restless- 
ness which  has  taken  hold  of  society  in  general.  In 
no  other  land  do  such  beautiful  country  homes  exist 
as  in  England,  yet  they  are  seldom  inhabited.  London 
has  become  a  vast  inn,  where  one  spends  at  least  four 
out  of  the  seven  days  in  the  week.  Indeed,  the  home 
is  often  forsaken  for  the  hotel,  and  the  custom  now 
prevalent  of  entertaining  one's  friends  to  lunch  or 
dinner  at  the  Ritz  or  the  Carlton  has  gradually  done 
away  with  home  life  as  it  was  understood  formerly. 

42 


Society  of  Yesterday   and  To-day 

In  high  society,  how  Httle  remains  of  the  quietness  of 
the  Sabbath  of  former  days,  when  people  could  enjoy 
a  real  rest  and  spend  a  few  hours  among  the  roses 
in  their  gardens.  That  illusion  of  the  foreigner  has 
been  shattered.  We  imagined  an  English  home  as 
something  sweet  and  solemn,  where  the  mistress  gath- 
ered her  children  around  her,  and  where  family  prayers 
and  the  Bible  alternated  with  afternoon  tea  and  toast. 
All  this  has  ceased  to  exist.  Children  are  confined  to 
their  nursery  and  scarcely  ever  see  their  parents,  who 
in  autumn  are  always  rushing  about  between  their 
London  and  their  country  houses,  those  of  their  friends, 
and  Biarritz,  Paris,  Monte  Carlo,  Egypt,  or  India  at 
other  seasons  of  the  year.  English  life  nowadays  is 
spent  in  railway  trains  and  motor  cars.  There  is  no 
steadiness  and  scarcely  any  seriousness  in  the  smart 
set. 

There  are,  however,  a  good  many  people  who, 
happily,  are  not  of  that  calibre.  Thinking  about  them 
reminds  me  of  one  hospitable  house  in  London — that 
of  Lord  and  Lady  Brassey  ;  she  is  one  of  the  most 
exquisite  women  it  has  ever  been  my  good  chance  to 
meet,  and  one  in  whom  natural  sweetness  blends  with 
acquired  gentleness  and  learning.  Her  conversation 
is  more  than  entertaining  ;  it  is  delightful  in  its  simple 
earnestness  and  entire  absence  of  affectation.  She  is 
a  perfect  example  of  the  English  gentlewoman,  caring 
for  her  house  and  home,  and  at  the  same  time  shining 
in  the  world  with  that  peculiar  grace  that  only  a  high- 
bred woman  can  possess. 

Another  couple  who  have  always  kept  up  the  old 
English  traditions  for  hospitality  are  Lord  and  Lady 

43 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Jersey,  whose  garden  parties  at  Osterley  are  a  feature 
of  the  London  season.  You  meet  there  all  the  interest- 
ing people  of  the  capital,  and  can  beguile  an  after- 
noon in  the  kind  of  conversation  you  appreciate 
most,  either  serious  or  frivolous,  or  can  wander  under 
the  old  beech  trees,  or  sit  on  the  smooth  lawns,  gazing 
at  gaily  dressed  women  and  attractive  men,  and  enjoy 
a  picture  of  English  life  such  as  you  will  seldom  find 
elsewhere. 

Garden  parties  are  a  great  feature  in  London 
society.  They  constitute  in  the  busy  life  which  is 
the  characteristic  of  the  great  city  a  most  pleasant 
and  easy  way  of  meeting  one's  friends,  without  the  rush 
that  is  invariably  associated  with  every  evening  party, 
where  people  come  and  go,  and  very  often  do  not  reach 
the  top  of  the  staircase,  so  eager  are  they  to  push 
on  somewhere  else,  so  that  their  names  should  appear 
the  next  day  in  the  Morning  Post  as  being  present 
at  the  function. 

It  is  so  different  at  such  places  as  Osterley  Park 
or  Holland  House;  one  feels  that  one  has  the  right 
to  beguile  an  hour  or  two,  and  to  admire  one's  sur- 
roundings, to  think  of  those  distant  times  when  Queen 
Elizabeth  reigned,  and  where  the  great  Burghley  ruled, 
without  having  to  remember  that  Lady  So-and-So,  or 
the  Countess  So-and-So  has  asked  you  to  appear  in  the 
evening,  very  often  to  be  seen  by  everybody  in  her 
house  except  by  herself. 

I  once  asked  a  very  witty  foreigner  whom  I  met 
in  London  what  were  his  impressions  of  the  season 
there.  His  reply  was  a  characteristic  one  :  "  One 
eats    too    many    strawberries,    and    meets    too    many 

44 


Invasion   of  the   Newly-Rich 

people."  That  was  the  foreigner  who  studied  nothing 
and  who  looked  at  everything,  and  that  is  not  the 
impression  one  ought  to  carry  away  from  the  capital 
of  the  world,  which  is  one  of  those  delightful,  strange, 
incomprehensible  places  where  one  feels  lost  at  first, 
but  where  gradually  so  many  attractions  are  dis- 
covered that  one  is  loath  to  leave  it. 

Talking  about  London  hostesses,  I  find  I  have  not 
mentioned  old  Mrs.  Lowther  and  her  receptions  at 
Lowther  Lodge,  one  of  the  prettiest,  quaintest  houses 
in  the  great  city.  It  savoured  of  a  Tudor  Castle  and 
a  Georgian  mansion ;  the  architecture  was  as  lovely 
as  it  was  full  of  anachronisms.  Here  everybody  worth 
knowing  in  the  world  would  be  seen,  and  here,  too, 
the  most  delightful  people  in  England  had  congregated 
at  one  time  or  another.  At  Lo^\i:her  Lodge,  with  its 
lovely  pictures,  its  large  bowls  of  flowers  scattered 
throughout  the  wide  rooms,  it  was  always  possible  to 
find  a  quiet  spot  and  enjoy  a  quiet  talk.  The  hosts 
were  always  solicitously  eager  for  their  guests'  enjoy- 
ment and  left  them  wisely  alone  to  seek  it  unmolested 
by  any  interferences  such  as  music  or  singing,  or  any 
other  of  these  accompaniments  of  ordinary  afternoon 
parties  that  are  such  nuisances  to  the  man  who  wants 
to  look  at  things  around  him  and  listen  to  what  is  said. 

I  have  always  regretted  not  having  known  London 
before  the  invasion  of  the  newly-rich  element.  It  must 
have  been  even  more  pleasant  than  it  is  now.  Being 
an  old  woman  myself,  I  confess  regretting  the  Victorian 
period,  before  South  Africa  had  been  invented,  America 
had  been  discovered,  and  the  various  ghettos  of  the 
world   had  opened  their  doors  to   allow  their  former 

45 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

inmates  to  escape  into  a  more  hospitable  land.  At 
present  the  emulation  for  luxury  and  extravagance 
has  done  away  with  a  great  deal  of  the  sedateness  and 
dignity  which  characterised  hostesses  of  former  times 
in  London.  It  is  a  pity,  a  very  great  pity  ;  but  it  has 
not  interfered  with  the  principal  characteristics  of 
English  life  ;  it  has  only  brought  new  elements  into 
it ;  for  better  or  for  worse,  it  is  not  for  me  to  say, 
but  elements  that  have  only  added  to  the  impression 
of  grandeur  that  cannot  fail  to  strike  the  foreigner 
when  he  arrives  for  the  first  time. 

Politics  also  have  undergone  a  change  which  is 
incontestable,  and  which  is  perhaps  more  felt  than 
seen  at  political  receptions  such  as  are  constantly  given 
during  the  season.  New  people  are  invited  to  these  ; 
they  appear  in  the  same  style  of  dress  as  the  others  ; 
they  seem  to  differ  in  no  wise  from  the  supporters  of 
Lord  Beaconsfield  or  Lord  Salisbury,  but  yet  are 
entirely  different,  both  by  their  education  and  by  their 
temperament. 

The  advent  of  democratic  government  has  neces- 
sarily brought  along  with  it  a  race  of  politicians  and 
their  wives  who  arrive  in  London  for  the  season. 
When  they  return  they  carry  back  with  them  in 
triumph  to  their  provincial  homes  the  card  of  invita- 
tion which  they  had  received  for  a  reception  at  the 
Foreign  Office,  or  at  some  other  official  place,  which 
with  swelling  pride  they  stick  on  the  mantelpiece  of 
their  best  parlour  in  Manchester  or  Liverpool,  or  any 
other  spot  where  they  may  happen  to  live. 


46 


PART  II 
Memories  of  Germany 


CHAPTER    I 

THE    EMPEROR   WILLIAM    I 

CERTAIN  readers  of  history  from  the  surface  have 
hghtly  classified  the  first  German  Emperor  as 
a  weak  man  under  the  thumb  of  Bismarck.  He  was 
not.  No  man  in  the  whole  of  Europe  had  a  clearer 
discernment  or  foresight,  yet  his  was  a  rare  and  noble 
personality.  His  first  concern  was  ever  to  serve  his 
country,  even  though  the  serving  were  best  accom- 
plished with  others  as  prime  movers. 

The  Emperor  William  I.  was  approaching  his 
eightieth  year  at  the  time  I  had  the  honour  to  be 
presented  to  him.  He  was  spoken  of  as  an  old  man  of 
declining  powers,  if  not  near  his  end.  His  Court,  in- 
deed, appeared  to  be  much  more  convinced  of  his  ad- 
vanced age  than  he  was  himself.  I  had  heard  so  much 
concerning  the  precautions  which,  according  to  some 
people  of  his  Court,  he  ought  to  have  taken,  but  to  which 
he  obstinately  refused  to  conform,  that  I  was  expecting 
to  see  an  almost  decrepit  man,  borne  down  by  the 
weight  of  his  years. 

I  was  extremely  surprised,  therefore,  on  the  first 
occasion  that  I  met  the  Emperor,  to  find  myself  in 
the  presence  of  a  man  vigorous  and  active  in  his 
movements,  whose  blue  eyes  retained  the  vivacity 
usually   associated   with   youth,    and   whose   walk   still 

E  49 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

possessed  vigour  and  elasticity.  The  attitude  of  the 
Emperor  was  kind  in  the  extreme,  his  voice  ex- 
pressed sympathy,  and  it  had  an  intonation  which 
gave  token  of  rare  quaUties  of  heart  and  of  mind. 
He  had  a  curious  habit  when  he  was  talking  to 
anyone  of  bending  his  head  in  such  a  manner  that 
it  seemed  to  add  to  his  height  instead  of  taking  away 
from  it.  Always  very  neat  in  his  dress,  he  had  a  certain 
coquetry  in  the  way  in  which  he  arranged  his  hair 
in  order  to  hide  his  baldness.  A  long  lock  from  the 
back  was  carried  to  the  front,  where  it  was  fastened 
by  means  of  a  black  thread  to  another  coming  from 
his  forehead.  This  considerably  added  to  the  charm 
of  his  face.  The  Emperor  could  never  have  been  a 
handsome  young  man,  but  in  age  he  was  imposing. 

Everyone  who  knew  the  Emperor  liked  him ;  the 
one  who  loved  him  the  most,  perhaps,  or  certainly  who 
served  him  the  best,  was  Prince  Bismarck.  He  held 
his  sovereign  in  great  respect,  which  was  the  more 
strange  as  he  did  not  admire  his  intelligence.  When 
the  Iron  Chancellor  found  himself  alone  beside  the 
dead  body  of  his  master  immediately  after  the  latter's 
demise,  he  shed  bitter  tears.  These  tears  constituted 
the  truest  and  purest  homage  to  the  great  monarch 
whose  name  will  live  for  ever  in  the  history  of  Germany 
and  of  its  development  in  Europe. 

The  Emperor's  mind  was  not  deep  and  certainly 
not  brilliant,  but  he  was  a  man  gifted  with  strong 
common  sense,  and  especially  a  man  who  always  knew 
what  his  duty  required  of  him.  He  was  also  persevering 
in  character,  and  his  word  could  always  be  relied  upon. 
He   did    not   read    much,    and    generally    confined    his 

50 


William   I.   Epitomised 

attention  to  works  which  treated  of  purely  mihtary 
matters,  but  I  remember  that  one  evening,  during  a 
little  party  given  by  the  Empress,  one  of  the  persons 
present  alluded  to  one  of  Renan's  books  that  had 
just  appeared,  and  quoted  a  phrase  from  it  referring 
to  the  necessity  which  exists  for  every  human  being 
to  work  for  the  general  good  without  hoping  for  a 
reward,  in  like  manner  as  the  slaves  of  the  Egyptian 
Pharaohs  worked  in  the  construction  of  the  Pyramids. 
"  The  men  have  disappeared,  but  the  Pyramids  stand 
to  this  present  day,"  concluded  the  writer.  "  I  share 
this  opinion,"  said  the  Emperor.  "  We  ought  to  work 
for  those  who  follow  us  in  life  without  asking  ourselves 
the  wherefore  of  the  labour  to  which  we  are  condemned." 

These  words  epitomise  the  whole  life  of  William  I., 
as  well  as  the  principles  which  constantly  inspired  his 
actions  and  helped  him  in  everything  he  attempted. 
In  his  youth  he  had  witnessed  dark  days  which  had 
saddened  his  Fatherland :  he  had  never  forgotten  the 
disaster  of  Jena ;  he  remembered  the  tears  of  his 
mother.  Queen  Louise,  when  she  had  been  obliged  to 
fly  to  Memel.  The  lamentations  of  the  unfortunate 
woman  were  always  ringing  in  his  ears,  and  it  can  be 
afiirmed,  without  fear  of  being  mistaken,  that  the  long- 
ing to  avenge  the  humiliation  inflicted  at  that  time, 
not  only  upon  his  country,  but  also  upon  his  house, 
never  left  him. 

He  never  spoke  about  that  tragedy,  but  it  was 
always  in  his  thoughts — during  his  childish  games,  as 
well  as  in  the  days  of  his  youthful  enjoyments;  later 
on,  when  the  storms  of  1848  seemed  to  prophesy  for 
him  destitution  and  exile  rather  than  the  fulfilment  of 

51 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

his  dreams  of  glory,  those  thoughts  persisted.  They 
lingered  when  he  had  to  take  up  the  reins  of  government 
and  attempt  to  repair  the  mistakes  of  his  predecessors  ; 
in  the  days  of  his  great  successes,  as  well  as  in  the 
moments  of  his  reverses,  he  remembered  them.  They 
were  in  his  thoughts  when  the  angry  crowd  invaded  his 
palace  at  Berlin  and  obliged  him  to  escape  in  disguise, 
and  when  that  same  crowd  accompanied  him  to  the 
railway  station  on  his  departure  for  the  field  of  battle 
in  1870.  He  thought  about  the  tragedy,  too,  on  that 
triumphant  afternoon  when  he  returned  to  his  joyful 
capital,  and  the  whole  nation  acclaimed  the  new 
victorious  Caesar  who  was  bringing  back  his  laurels; 
he  thought  about  it  probably  more  than  ever  when, 
a  few  hours  after  this  glorious  entry,  he  went  to 
kneel  down  beside  his  mother's  grave  in  the  mauso- 
leum of  Charlottenburg.  For  all  those  who  have  known 
the  Emperor,  it  is  impossible  to  doubt  for  a  single 
moment  that,  even  in  that  solemn  instant,  it  was  to 
his  people,  after  Almighty  God,  that  he  attributed  the 
successes  which  had  been  his,  and  that,  in  his  mind, 
he  believed  that  he  had  only  been  one  of  the  many 
workmen  who  had  toiled  in  the  erection  of  '*  the 
Pyramid." 

In  order  to  understand  thoroughly  this  simple  and 
great  character,  one  must  have  studied  the  history  of 
Prussia,  and  especially  that  of  the  House  of  Hohen- 
zollern  ;  one  must  have  visited  some  of  the  old  German 
towns  and  have  become  imbued  with  the  facts  which 
brought  about  and  which  accompanied  the  great  work 
of  the  Reformation. 

If  Luther  had  not  existed,  the  importance  acquired 

52 


The   House   of  HohenzoUern 

by  Prussia  in  the  history  of  Europe  would  have  been 
impossible,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  Baron  Stockmar, 
the  friend  of  the  Prince  Consort,  was  right  when  he 
called  Frederick  William  IV.  the  greatest  Protestant 
monarch  in  Europe,  and  advised  the  marriage  of  the 
Princess  Royal  of  England  to  the  future  Emperor 
Frederick  III. 

Many  members  of  the  House  of  HohenzoUern  were 
gentle  and  artistic,  notwithstanding  opinions  which 
have  been  expressed  to  the  contrary.  Protestantism 
alone,  with  its  austere  and  sometimes  even  narrow 
ideas,  was  capable  of  transforming  them  into  strong 
and  virile  characters.  Under  the  influence  of  the 
religious  wars  they  became  hardened,  and  in  defend- 
ing their  faith,  and  perhaps  also  on  account  of  that 
faith,  took  for  their  chief  aim  in  life  a  disinterested 
devotion  to  their  Fatherland.  An  atmosphere  less 
heavy  than  the  one  in  which  they  had  grown  up  would 
not  have  allowed  them  to  resist  the  instincts  of  their 
nature,  in  itself  neither  hard  nor  cruel.  But  the 
series  of  reverses  which  had  followed  one  upon 
the  other  during  the  whole  course  of  their  family 
history  had  ripened  them  and  developed  in  them  that 
instinct  and  that  feeling  of  duty  which  was  the  most 
prominent  feature  in  the  character  of  William  I. 

His  career  as  Prince  of  Prussia,  and  later  on  as 
Prince  Regent,  is  too  well  known  to  need  reference 
here.  Besides,  I  am  not  writing  an  historical  book, 
merely  relating  personal  remembrances.  I  cannot  help, 
however,  drawing  attention  to  the  numerous  difficulties 
which  William  encountered  during  the  long  years  which 

preceded  his  accession  to  the  throne.     He  was  not  at 

53 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

all  in  sympathy  with  the  opinions  of  his  elder  brother, 
King  Frederick  William  IV.  He  interpreted  quite 
differently  the  meaning  of  the  duties  of  a  sovereign, 
and  he  was  especially  hostile  to  the  opinions  of  his 
pietist  brother,  which  he  considered  to  be  fatal  to  the 
greatness  of  his  country.  Notwithstanding,  however, 
this  private  divergence  of  opinion,  the  loyalty  which 
he  bore  towards  the  head  of  his  house  and  his  dyn- 
asty restrained  him  from  any  public  manifestation 
which  might  be  construed  into  an  expression  of  dis- 
approval of  his  brother.  If  his  Court  was  considered 
by  many  people  as  a  centre  of  opposition  to  the  King, 
it  was  more  the  fault  of  the  Princess  of  Prussia  than 
his  own,  because  he  always  kept  studiously  silent  when- 
ever he  found  himself  in  the  presence  of  things  which 
his  mind  could  not  sanction.  He  relaxed  only  his 
habitual  reserve  when  he  was  alone  with  the  King. 

His  position  as  Regent  was  even  more  delicate  than 
it  had  been  while  he  was  only  heir-presumptive  to  the 
Crown.  Though  the  illness  from  which  the  King 
suffered  had  been  declared  incurable,  the  Prince  could 
not  impose  his  will  in  matters  of  State,  as  he  would 
have  done  had  he  alone  been  responsible.  He  was  in 
a  false  position,  and  one  rendered  more  trying  because 
he  was  not  popular  among  the  masses  of  the  nation, 
who  did  not  approve  of  his  plans  concerning  the  re- 
organisation of  the  army.  On  the  eve  of  her  greatest 
military  successes  Prussia  felt  afraid ;  she  believed 
less  in  her  own  future  than  did  the  Prince  Regent. 

It  was  William's  supreme  happiness  always  to  have 
kept  his  faith  in  the  glorious  destiny  of  his  people,  and 
to  have  believed  in  it  with  all  the  energy  of  his  serious 

54 


Emperor  William  l  of  Prussia, 


William   I.   and   Bismarck 

and  entirely  straight  nature.  Without  that  conviction, 
which  he  cherished  throughout  his  hfe,  Prussia  would 
never  have  seen  the  successes  of  Bismarck,  Moltke,  and 
Roon ;  she  would  never  have  earned  the  laurels  of 
Sadowa,  nor  those  of  Sedan.  Without  the  energy  dis- 
played by  William  I.  it  is  most  probable  that  if  the  old 
German  Empire  had  ever  been  reconstituted,  it  would 
have  been  to  the  profit  of  the  Habsburgs,  and  not  to 
that  of  the  Hohenzollerns. 

By  a  strange  irony  of  fate,  the  principal  quality  of 
the  character  of  William  I. —that  of  always  knowing 
how  to  retire  into  the  background,  leaving  to  others  the 
glory  of  the  achievements  which  his  own  perseverance 
had  prepared — was  never  sufficiently  appreciated  either 
by  his  family  or  by  his  surroundings,  or  even  by  his 
own  people.  On  the  contrary,  the  general  opinion  was 
that  he  allowed  himself  to  be  dominated  and  guided 
by  his  Chancellor.  How  very  few  people  knew  or 
understood  that,  by  accepting  this  view  of  his  relations 
with  the  great  statesman  to  whom  he  felt  so  much 
indebted,  the  Emperor  was  performing  a  supreme  sacri- 
fice for  the  sake  of  that  nation  to  which  already  he 
had  sacrificed  so  much.  Feeling  more  than  he  cared 
to  own  the  weight  of  his  years,  he  was  quite  content  to 
allow  his  ship  to  be  led  by  an  experienced  pilot,  and 
he  kept  that  pilot  on  the  bridge,  although  his  constant 
presence  there  appeared  somewhat  in  the  light  of  a 
personal  humiliation  of  his  own  prestige.  Even  when 
he  differed  from  Bismarck  sufficiently  to  insist  upon 
his  own  will  being  carried  out — and  this  sometimes 
happened — he  always  did  so  in  a  way  that  none  should 
guess  he  was  doing  it,  so  complete  and   perfect  was 

55 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

his  disinterestedness,  so  entire  was  his  abnegation  to 
the  prosperity  of  his  loved  country  of  all  that  related 
to  himself. 

No  one  who  had  insight  and  who  studied  without 
prejudice  the  influences  which  went  to  the  moulding 
of  the  new  kingdom,  could  doubt  that  Bismarck 
thoroughly  understood  the  situation. 

Where  a  man  of  less  powerful  personality  would 
have  taken  advantage,  he  saw  that  in  William  I.  was 
a  true  patriot,  and  their  mutual  love  for  the  Fatherland 
brought  them  very  close  together.  Brusque  and 
domineering  as  Bismarck  so  often  was,  yet  he  was 
not  a  hard  man,  and  if  his  epigram  about  Lord  Salis- 
bury were  true,  that  he  "  was  a  lath  of  wood  painted 
to  look  like  iron,"  it  could  be  said  with  equal  certainty 
that  Bismarck  had  a  "  soft  heart  hid  in  granite." 

I  used  to  see  him  together  with  William  I.,  and 
as  he  looked  at  his  Royal  master  his  eyes  told  of  his 
affection.  I  may  be  pardoned  if  I  quote  the  exact 
words  of  my  diary  :  "It  was  touching  to  watch  the 
great  Chancellor  when  he  was  speaking  to  William  I. ; 
the  deference  in  his  countenance,  and  the  expression 
of  his  eyes  in  those  moments,  had  some  peculiar  quality 
which  could  not  but  impress  those  who  noticed  the 
homage  that  he  was  paying  to  the  old  monarch.  In 
his  inmost  soul  he  respected  as  much  as  he  loved  him  ; 
to  him  he  had  given  all  the  admiration,  all  the  affec- 
tion that  his  stern  heart  was  capable  of  feeling." 

When,  as  it  sometimes  happened,  Bismarck  came 
into  the  room  just  as  his  aged  monarch  was  being 
wearied  and  worried  by  the  urgency  of  some  per- 
sistent individual  who  wanted  the  Emperor  to  grant 

56 


A   Dislike   of  Intrigue 

something  against  his  incUnation  or  sense  of  equity, 
the  quiet  anger  of  Bismarck  was  barely  concealed. 
He  hated  to  see  the  kindly  face  of  William  troubled 
and  uneasy,  and  would  quickly  have  rid  him  of  those 
*'  grinders  of  axes,"  as  you  say  in  England,  had  the 
Emperor  been  less  patient  and  forbearing. 

Another  remarkable  side  in  the  personality  of  the 
Emperor  was  his  dislike  for  intrigue  of  any  kind,  and 
his  contempt  for  those  who  practised  it.  Constantly 
surrounded  by  people — even  in  his  own  family — who 
indulged  in  every  possible  form  of  intrigue,  his  straight 
common  sense,  his  rare  firmness  of  character,  knew  at 
once  how  much  to  put  down  to  individual  passions, 
and  he  soon  succeeded  in  putting  things  upon  their 
proper  level,  to  reward  those  who  deserved  it,  and  to 
put  aside  those  whose  honesty  appeared  to  him  to  be 
doubtful.  Whilst  everything  around  him,  and  even 
his  own  person,  was  eclipsed  by  the  great  figure  of 
Bismarck,  he  nevertheless  always  remained  the  King, 
the  only  man  before  whom  this  rival  of  Richelieu 
consented  to  bow  his  head,  and  to  whom  he  submitted 
his  will. 

I  do  not  think  I  am  mistaken  when  I  say  that  one 
of  the  things  which  caused  the  most  annoyance  to  the 
Emperor  was  the  manner  in  which,  after  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  new  Empire,  an  attempt  was  made  to  modify 
the  old  ceremonial  of  the  Prussian  Court.  The  changes 
which  were  introduced  were  initiated  by  the  Empress, 
who  was  helped  by  the  great  master  of  the  ceremonies 
of  that  time,  Count  Stillfried.  Both  tried  to  give 
greater  pomp  to  all  the  Court  functions,  and  especially 
to  establish  a  new  order  of  precedence.     This  latter 

57 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

exceedingly  displeased  William  I.  He  did  not  care  to 
see  the  persons  whom  he  honoured  with  his  atten- 
tion in  other  places  than  where  he  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  find  them.  It  also  annoyed  him  to  witness 
the  importance  which  certain  persons  attached  to 
small  privileges  of  rank,  by  which  they  revealed  the 
narrowness  of  their  minds.  He  himself  was  so  kind, 
so  devoid  of  the  least  shade  of  vanity,  that  it  was 
painful  to  him  to  have  to  acknowledge  the  meanness 
of  others,  and  especially  of  people  among  whom  he 
had  made  his  friends.  This  explains  the  sad  and  at 
the  same  time  malicious  smile  with  which  he  listened 
to  the  remark  made  by  a  lady  he  knew  well  during 
a  reception  at  the  old  castle  of  Berlin.  A  few  prin- 
cesses present,  displeased  at  the  places  allotted  to 
them,  began  quarrelling  as  to  whom  should  have 
precedence  over  the  other ;  each  claimed  with  energy 
a  place  which  was  considered  to  be  the  one  of  honour, 
and  which  was  situated  beside  a  door  leading  to  the 
great  gallery  through  which  one  had  to  pass  to  reach 
the  ballroom  of  the  palace.  The  Emperor  happened 
to  come  in  whilst  these  recriminations  were  going  on, 
and  having  noticed  an  unaccustomed  agitation  among 
his  guests,  asked  the  lady  in  question  what  had  hap- 
pened.    He  received  the  following  reply  : 

"  Oh,  it  is  nothing  at  all,  sir  ;  it  is  only  these  ladies 
who  are  disputing  among  themselves  which  shall  have 
the  honour  to  be  put  outside  the  door  !  " 

All  these  quarrels  concerning  precedence  occupied 
the  attention  of  Berlin  society  to  a  considerable  extent 
during  the  earliest  years  of  the  Empire.  They  con- 
stituted the  small  and  petty  sides  of  a  society  which 

58 


Berlin   Develops 

had  never  led  an  existence  on  broad  lines,  and  the 
horizon  of  which  had  never  gone  beyond  that  of  a 
German  royal  city  of  the  eighteenth  century.  With 
time  all  this  underwent  a  change ;  Berlin  became 
a  European  centre,  and  its  social  importance  equalled 
the  political  and  military  status  which  Prussia  had 
acquired  through  the  successes  of  her  armies.  But  at 
the  period  of  which  I  am  writing,  1873-4,  the  evolution 
was  just  taking  place,  and  naturally  it  claimed  its 
victims. 


59 


CHAPTER  II 

DAILY   LIFE    AT   THE    COURT 

THE  Emperor  and  Empress  lived  an  exceedingly 
simple  and  unpretentious  life.  Yet  when  it 
was  necessary,  there  was  a  considerable  display  of 
pomp  and  even  magnificence.  The  balls  which  the 
sovereigns  gave  frequently  during  the  winter  season 
were  really  splendid,  though  they  did  not  rise  to  the 
heights  of  luxury  which  characterised  the  functions 
of  the  Russian  Court. 

One  can  say,  though,  that  the  festivities  were 
attended  with  much  dignity,  and  the  crowds  did  not 
hustle  one  as  they  did  on  like  occasions  in  St. 
Petersburg.  In  certain  exceptional  circumstances,  as, 
for  instance,  on  the  Emperor's  birthday,  to  celebrate 
which  a  considerable  number  of  German  princes  were 
wont  to  assemble  in  the  capital  of  the  Empire,  or 
when  some  foreign  monarch  came  to  Berlin  on  a 
visit,  the  receptions  given  in  the  old  castle  were 
organised  on  a  grand  scale,  worthy  of  a  great  sovereign. 

The  Imperial  carriages  were  exceedingly  smart,  the 
horses  beautiful,  and  the  liveries  of  the  servants  ex- 
tremely dignified  and  in  taste.  Indeed,  there  was 
not  lacking  on  these  special  occasions  that  air  of 
formal  pomp  which  is  associated  with  Royal  Courts 
of  most  ancient  origins. 

60 


Royal   Domesticity 

In  the  ordinary  regime  of  daily  life  there  was  a 
homeliness  and  modesty  which  had  its  pleasant  fea- 
tures. The  table  was  abundant,  but  not  refined,  and 
if  the  bill  of  fare  did  not,  as  a  rule,  distinguish  itself 
with  great  variety,  it  was  certainly  copious.  The 
Emperor,  who  was  a  great  eater,  but  not  at  all  a  gour- 
met, was  especially  fond  of  most  indigestible  foods, 
such  as  lobster,  pate  de  foie  gras,  game  of  every  kind, 
and  a  certain  most  abominable  dish  which  consisted 
of  eggs  prepared  with  a  sauce  made  from  cheese. 
He  hardly  ever  drank  any  other  wine  than  sparkling 
Moselle,  which  was  specially  ordered  for  him  from  a 
wine  merchant  of  Mayence,  but  the  Imperial  cellars 
were  absolutely  admirable,  and  only  contained  perfect 
wines,  the  brands  of  which  were  celebrated  through- 
out Germany. 

The  royal  kitchen  was  excellently  managed,  the 
head  cook  being  a  Frenchman,  whilst  the  chief  butler 
and  his  subordinates  were  Germans.  The  service, 
down  to  the  smallest  details,  left  nothing  to  be 
desired,  but,  except  on  the  extraordinary  occasions  I 
have  already  mentioned,  the  whole  management  of  the 
Court  reminded  one  more  of  the  household  of  a  very 
rich  private  person  than  of  the  sumptuous  palace  of 
a  great  sovereign.  At  the  same  time,  everyone  felt 
at  home  and  free  from  the  usual  ceremonial  constraint. 

The  life  of  the  Imperial  couple  was  uniform  and 
rarely  subject  to  any  changes  in  its  daily  routine.  The 
Emperor  used  to  get  up  quite  early  ;  in  the  course 
of  the  morning  he  received  the  reports  of  his  ministers 
and  the  people  who  had  asked  for  audiences.  He 
usually   granted   these   audiences   in   his   study,    which 

61 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

was  situated  on  the  ground  floor  of  the  small  palace 
that  was  his  private  property,  and  which  he  continued 
to  occupy  until  his  death. 

This  very  small  room,  very  simply  arranged,  had  as 
principal  piece  of  furniture  a  big  writing-table  always 
littered  with  papers  and  documents  of  every  possible 
kind,  and  on  which  one  could  see  photographs  of 
the  members  of  the  Royal  Family.  There  was  also 
a  miniature  of  the  Princess  Elisa  Radziwill,  who  was 
the  object  of  the  first  love  of  Prince  William  of  Prussia 
at  a  time  when  he  could  not  foresee  his  great 
destiny.  On  the  walls  were  hanging  a  portrait  of  the 
Empress  Charlotte  of  Russia,  the  favourite  sister  of 
the  Emperor,  and  another  one  of  his  daughter,  the 
Grand  Duchess  of  Baden.  A  door,  generally  left  half- 
open,  led  from  this  study  into  the  bedroom  of  the 
Sovereign.  Through  it  one  could  just  see  the  narrow 
camp-bed  upon  which  he  breathed  his  last,  with  its 
thin  mattress  and  the  worn-out  blankets  which  he 
always  refused  to  have  renewed. 

The  entrance  to  the  study  was  through  a  small  par- 
lour where  the  aide-de-camp  was  on  duty  to  introduce 
the  visitors.  This  aide-de-camp  was  the  only  officer 
whom  the  Emperor  permitted  about  his  person.  The 
aide  came  to  the  palace  in  the  morning  and  remained 
until  two  o'clock,  which  was  the  hour  when  the 
monarch  used  to  take  his  daily  drive  in  the  park 
of  the  Thiergarten,  and  during  which  William  I. 
always  refused  other  escort  than  his  valet,  who  sat  on 
the  box  beside  the  coachman.  After  the  attempt 
made  upon  his  life  by  Nobiling,  however,  he  consented 
to  take  the  aide-de-camp  with  him.     During  the  fre- 

62 


A   Hard  Worker 

quent  visits  of  the  Grand  Duchess  of  Baden  in  BerHn, 
this  aide-de-camp  followed  behind  in  another  carriage, 
whilst  the  Emperor  had  his  daughter  sitting  beside 
him. 

On  returning  from  his  drive  the  Sovereign  retired 
to  his  room,  and  either  rested  or  worked  until  dinner, 
which  was  served  at  five  o'clock  in  winter  and  at  four 
in  summer.  The  Empress  was  always  present  at  dinner, 
as  well  as  at  breakfast,  and  it  was  the  only  moment 
in  the  day  when  she  could  talk  freely  with  her  hus- 
band, and  when  she  communicated  to  him  the  news- 
paper articles  to  which  she  wanted  to  direct  his  atten- 
tion. During  this  hour,  too,  she  entertained  him  with 
the  gossip  of  the  town,  and  introduced  the  manifold 
intrigues  with  which  she  wanted  to  associate  him. 

The  early  evening  was  generally  spent  at  the 
theatre  or  with  a  few  chosen  friends.  And  very  often, 
when  everybody  was  already  asleep  in  the  palace,  one 
could  see  from  the  street  the  Emperor's  lamp  burning 
through  the  night  and  lighting  up  the  last  hours  of  his 
assiduous  work. 


63 


CHAPTER    III 

RECEPTIONS    AND    CEREMONIES 

IN  the  early  days  of  the  Empire  there  was  little  of 
pomp  and  splendour  about  ceremonial  functions 
at  the  Court  of  Berlin.  Sometimes  they  were  almost 
amusing  in  their  frank  crudity.  Nevertheless  they 
were  mostly  enjoyable  affairs.  The  receptions  were 
particularly  so,  perhaps,  because  of  their  homely 
character. 

These  receptions  varied  in  regard  to  the  number 
of  guests  invited.  The  most  select  of  these  functions 
were  the  teas  which  were  held  nearly  every  day  by 
the  Empress,  and  to  which  hardly  ever  more  than 
ten  or  twelve  people  were  invited  on  any  single  occasion. 
They  took  place  downstairs,  in  the  apartments 
used  by  the  Grand  Duchess  of  Baden  when  she 
visited  Berlin.  The  gatherings  went  by  the  name  of 
''  Bonbonniere,"  or  "  Tabatiere,"  according  to  which  of 
the  rooms  was  used  for  the  occasion.  The  guests  were 
received  by  one  of  the  ladies-in-waiting  of  the  Empress  — 
the  Countess  Adelaide  Hacke  or  the  Countess  Louise 
OrioUa — by  the  maid  of  honour  on  duty,  and  by  Count 
Nesselrode,  Master  of  the  Household  of  the  Empress. 
After  only  a  few  minutes'  waiting  Her  Majesty  appeared, 
and  at  once  sat  down  at  a  round  table  on  which  was 
a  red  velvet  cover,  with  gold  fringe.     The  people  she 

64 


Imperial  Hospitality 

cared  most  particularly  to  entertain  she  invited  to 
sit  beside  her,  whilst  the  other  guests  took  their  places 
at  other  round  tables,  and  as  soon  as  all  were  com- 
fortable tea  was  brought  in. 

Then  the  Emperor  would  enter,  and  his  first  words, 
full  of  his  usual  kindness,  were  to  request  those  present 
not  to  get  up.  The  Empress  herself  offered  him  tea, 
and  during  the  course  of  the  entertainment,  which 
never  lasted  more  than  an  hour  or  an  hour  and  a 
half,  one  used  to  hand  round  sandwiches,  ices,  and 
very  often  roasted  chestnuts  with  claret.  The  plates 
as  well  as  the  cups  were  ugly  and  common  looking — 
white  china  with  a  green  border  going  round  them 
like  a  riband — the  glass  was  baccarat  and  very  pretty. 
The  conversation  was  entirely  small-talk,  and  the 
Empress  led  it  the  whole  time,  except  in  regard  to 
the  people  sitting  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood 
of  the  Emperor.  The  events  of  the  day  were  dis- 
cussed, together  with  the  gossip  going  round  the 
town,  of  which  the  Empress  was  extremely  fond,  and 
reference  was  always  made  to  the  recent  French 
publications,  of  which  she  kept  herself  regularly  in- 
formed. These  parties  were  held  during  the  whole 
of  the  winter.  Later  I  shall  have  something  to  say 
about  the  people  who  usually  attended  these  teas. 

The  regular  season  began  as  a  rule  on  January  18th, 
or  rather  on  the  nearest  Sunday.  The  great  event, 
which  was  celebrated  with  extreme  pomp  in  the  old 
Castle,  was  the  feast  of  the  different  orders  of  the 
Prussian  kingdom.  It  was  preceded  by  a  chapter  of 
the  Order  of  the  Black  Eagle,  held  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  the  new  Knights  elected  during  the  year. 

F  65 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Then,  on  the  Thursday  following,  the  Great  Court 
took  place.  This  was  the  only  occasion,  except  those 
of  Royal  weddings,  when  the  ladies  wore  dresses  with 
Court  trains.  The  guests  assembled  at  about  half-past 
seven  in  the  evening,  each,  according  to  his  or  her  rank, 
going  to  one  or  other  of  the  different  halls  of  the  old 
Castle.  Upon  that  day  one  saw  at  Court  faces  and 
figures  which  only  appeared  there  on  this  particular 
occasion,  among  others  delegations  of  the  principal 
merchants,  the  Burgomaster  of  Berlin,  and  a  con- 
siderable number  of  deputies  of  the  Reichstag,  as  well 
as  of  the  Prussian  Landtag,  the  plain  evening  clothes 
of  whom  stood  out  among  the  gold-laced  and  em- 
broidered uniforms  of  the  military  and  civil  court 
functionaries. 

The  Emperor,  holding  the  Empress  by  the  hand, 
and  followed  by  all  the  members  of  the  Royal 
family,  made  his  entry  most  solemnly  at  about  eight 
o'clock.  The  Imperial  party  passed  through  the 
different  rooms,  and  after  having  stopped  for  some 
minutes  in  the  spacious  picture  gallery,  where  the 
officers  of  the  garrisons  of  Berlin,  Potsdam  and  Char- 
lottenburg  were  assembled,  entered  the  White  Ball 
Room,  where  a  concert  took  place.  The  royalties 
listened  from  a  raised  dais,  whilst  the  guests  sat  facing 
them,  on  very  hard  chairs,  in  strict  order  of  precedence. 
There  was  no  supper,  but  at  the  close  everybody  was 
served  with  excellent  hot  punch. 

In  later  years  some  slight  change  took  place  in  these 
arrangements  owing  to  the  Empress's  inability  to 
walk.  Instead  of  going  round  the  various  rooms 
talking  to  the  people  whom  they  knew,  the  Sovereigns 

66 


Court  Balls  in  Berlin 

remained  on  the  throne,  the  Emperor  standing  beside 
his  consort,  who  kept  her  seat,  while  the  guests  filed 
past  making  low  obeisance  before  them.  This  custom 
has  been  observed  ever  since. 

The  day  after  the  Great  Court  a  ball  took  place 
in  the  Opera  House.  It  was  a  charity  feast  which 
was  honoured  by  the  presence  of  every  member  of  the 
Royal  family.  The  ball  was  opened  by  a  polonaise 
led  by  the  Court  Marshal,  Count  Fritz  von  Perponcher, 
and  the  Countess  Hacke,  lady-in-waiting  to  the  Empress. 
The  Sovereigns  then  followed  them  through  the  room, 
which  was  beautifully  ornamented  with  flowers  and 
plants  from  the  Royal  hothouses  of  Potsdam.  The 
boxes  were  all  occupied  by  persons  belonging  either 
to  the  official  society  or  to  the  financial  world  of 
Berlin.  The  whole  effect  was  magnificent.  The  om- 
nibus box  on  the  left  side  was  occupied  by  the  members 
of  the  Royal  family,  whilst  the  two  boxes  facing  it 
were  reserved  for  the  ambassadors  and  their  wives, 
and  for  the  Princes  and  Princesses  belonging  to  those 
German  families  having  the  right  to  the  title  of  Serene 
Highness.  When  the  polonaise  was  over,  the  Emperor 
used  to  visit  these  two  boxes,  staying  some  time  in 
familiar  conversation  with  their  occupants. 

It  was  at  these  Opera  Balls  that  the  finest  diamonds 
in  the  capital  were  worn  by  ladies  of  the  highest  nobility, 
or  belonging  to  the  commercial  and  industrial  world. 
All  the  different  coteries  of  which  Berlin  society  was 
composed  used  to  assemble  there,  commingling  for 
a  few  hours.  And  generally  these  festivities  were 
much  more  amusing  and  pleasant  because  of  this 
relaxation  of  the   exclusiveness   which  at   other  times 

07 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

prevailed.  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  at  that 
period  the  line  of  distinction  between  people  of  differ- 
ing ranks  and  social  conditions  was  observed  with 
a  rigidity  which  to-day  has  vanished  entirely.  There 
existed  then  a  strict  line  of  demarcation  between  the 
people  who  were  received  at  Court  and  those  who 
could  not  aspire  to  such  honour,  and  it  was  but  seldom 
that  one  met  an  officer  of  a  regiment  of  the  Guards 
in  houses  where  the  hostess  was  not  "  Hoffahig." 
I  remember  very  well  that  when  I  received  an  in- 
vitation to  dinner  from  the  banker,  Baron  von  Bleich- 
roder,  my  mother-in-law  absolutely  refused  to  allow 
me  to  accept  it,  and  I  was  obliged  to  make  some  excuse 
or  other  to  the  Baroness,  by  which  I  quite  expect 
she  was  not  duped  for  a  single  moment. 

The  Great  Court  and  the  Opera  Ball  were  followed 
by  a  series  of  balls  given  either  in  the  old  Castle  or 
in  the  small  palace  used  by  the  Emperor,  and  which 
now  belongs  to  Prince  Henry  of  Prussia.  These  last- 
mentioned  receptions  were  very  much  sought  after, 
not  so  much  on  account  of  the  luxury  displayed,  for 
everything  was  most  simply  arranged,  but  because 
an  invitation  constituted  a  most  rare  distinction. 
The  number  of  the  invited  guests  seldom  exceeded 
three  or  four  hundred,  and  included  only  personal 
friends  of  the  Sovereigns. 

These  balls  began  and  ended  very  early,  and  were 
held  in  a  capacious  round  room  opening  out  of  a  splen- 
did conservatory  full  of  exquisite  flowers.  Supper  was 
taken  standing,  and  although  most  abundantly  served, 
there  was  no  display  of  luxury.  The  Emperor  went 
among  his  guests  as  any  ordinary  host  would  do,  and 

68 


An  Admirer  of  Beauty 

showed  that  grace  and  kindness  which  always  seemed 
to  belong  so  specially  to  him,  and  to  be  manifest  in 
everything  that  he  said  or  did.  He  was  always  quite 
sure  of  his  subject  when  conversing,  and  was  most 
attentive  towards  the  ladies  present — especially  if  they 
were  yoimg  and  pretty. 

William  I.  was  ever  a  fervent  admirer  of  womanly 
beauty,  and  he  tried  to  please  those  who  were  so  en- 
dowed.    I    must    add    that    his    assiduities    to    young 
women  were  of  a  most  paternal  character ;    he  always 
took  care  to  inquire  as  to  whether  they  were  enjoying 
themselves,  whether  they  had  found  pleasant  partners, 
or  some  other  expression  of  solicitude  for  their  comfort. 
Diplomats  were  not,  as  a  rule,  admitted  to  these  small 
balls  given  in  the  Emperor's  own  Palace,  except  am- 
bassadors and,  in  some  rare  cases,  resident  ministers  ; 
but  whenever  distinguished  foreigners  arrived  in  Berlin 
— such  as,  for  instance,  the  Princess  Helene  Kotchoubej^, 
who   became   later   on   Mistress   of  the   Robes   to   the 
Empress  Marie  Feodorovna  of  Russia,  or  the  Duchess 
of   Manchester,    afterwards    Duchess    of   Devonshire  — 
they  were  always  invited  to  these  very  select  receptions. 
The  carnival  gen-erally  ended  by  a  grand  ball  given 
in  the  White  Hall  of  the  old  Castle  on  the   evening 
of    Shrove    Tuesday.     The    Empress    was    very    strict 
on  all  points  concerning  the  observance  of  Lent,  and 
she  used  to  end  the  entertainment  punctually  at  mid- 
night,   after   which    it   was   not   considered    proper   to 
dance    again   until    Easter.      It   was   only   toward    the 
close   of  my   stay   in   Berlin  that  the   rigidity  of  this 
custom    began    to     be    relaxed.       I    remember    that 
a   small   dance    given   by   Madame  von  Arnim  Kroch- 

69 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

lendorff,  the  sister  of  Prince  Bismarck,  in  honour 
of  her  daughter,  who  had  just  made  her  debut 
into  society,  was  talked  of  for  weeks  beforehand 
because  it  took  place  in  the  middle  of  Lent,  much  to 
the  despair  of  the  Catholics  invited  to  it.  They  dared 
not  take  part  in  any  of  the  dances  for  fear  of  offending 
the  devout  souls  belonging  to  their  community.  It 
was  the  time  of  the  Kulturkampf,  and  Roman  Catholics 
rigorously  observed  the  rules  of  their  religion  in  the 
capital  of  Prussia,  though  it  seemed  to  me  they  did 
so  more  for  political  reasons  than  for  any  other. 


70 


w 


CHAPTER    IV 

THE    empress's    THURSDAYS 

HEN  the  carnival  season  to  which  I  referred  in 
the  previous  chapter  ended,  the  Empress  began 
to  give  small,  select  receptions  every  Thursday  in 
Lent,  to  which  never  more  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty  people  were  invited.  For  the  most  part  the  same 
guests  were  invited  week  after  week,  changes  only  occa- 
sionally being  made.  Among  those  privileged  to  attend 
weekly  were  the  ministers,  the  Serene  Highnesses,  and 
a  few  yoimg  women  with  whom  the  Emperor  liked  to 
surround  himself.  The  ambassadors  and  their  wives 
and  the  military  attaches  were  invited  every  fortnight. 
These  receptions  took  place  in  the  small  white  draw- 
ing-room of  the  Palace,  and  on  rare  occasions  in  the 
round  ball-room.  The  entertainment,  although  includ- 
ing good  music,  was  boring  to  a  degree,  as  the  same 
artistes  always  appeared,  and,  usually,  the  same 
musical  items  were  rendered.  Among  the  artistes 
figured  Madame  Artot  de  Padilla,  whose  fine  voice 
did  not  succeed  in  effacing  the  impression  produced 
by  her  huge  size.  Madame  Artot  was  a  great  favourite 
with  the  Empress,  who  declined  to  observe  the  ad- 
vancing age  or  the  increasing  embonpoint  of  the  artiste, 
and  regularly  invited  her  each  winter  to  sing  at  her 
receptions.     They   used   to  arrange  the  programme  of 

71 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

these  concerts  together,  which  fact  accounted,  perhaps, 
for  their  monotony,  of  which  the  good  Augusta  alone 
was  not  aware. 

These  Thursday  evenings  were  considered  very 
smart,  but  this  did  not  prevent  those  privileged  to 
attend  them  from  complaining  of  their  extraordinary 
dullness.  They  were  very  badly  organised  and  arranged. 
As  the  guests  entered  the  Palace  each  was  immediately 
informed  by  a  Chamberlain  of  the  exact  table  at  which 
they  were  to  sit,  and  it  was  not  permissible  afterwards 
to  leave  one's  place  for  the  whole  of  the  evening.  If 
one  chanced  to  have  pleasant  neighbours,  things  were 
not  so  bad,  but  if  the  contrary  were  the  case,  there 
was  no  possibility  of  evading  the  infliction.  I  re- 
member that  very  often  Princess  Frederick  Charles, 
the  mother  of  the  present  Duchess  of  Connaught, 
who  was  a  very  great  artist  and  possessed  a  most 
remarkable  talent  for  drawing  caricatures,  used  to 
make  sketches  of  some  of  the  guests  on  the  back  of 
her  musical  programme,  adding  some  malicious  touches 
to  their  bored  expressions.  The  concert  lasted  some- 
thing like  two  hours,  interrupted  by  a  short  interval, 
during  which  the  Sovereigns  conversed  with  some  of 
those  present. 

After  the  singing  supper  was  served  on  the  same 
tables  around  which  the  guests  had  sat  the  whole 
evening.  Each  table  was  covered  with  red  velvet, 
and  was  decorated  with  a  basket  of  the  most  lovely 
flowers.  The  servants  would  bring  plates,  knives 
and  forks,  with  serviettes,  but  no  damask  was  laid 
over  the  velvet  tables.  As  for  the  bill-of-fare,  it  was 
invariably  the  same — some  small  patties,  cold  salmon 

72 


The  Annual  Manoeuvres 

with  mayonnaise  sauce,  cliicken,  and  ices,  and  ex- 
cellent claret  and  iced  champagne.  At  about  midnight 
or  a  little  later  the  guests  retired.  The  next 
Thursday  exactly  the  same  thing  was  again  carried 
out  with  exactly  the  same  guests  in  exactly  the  same 
way. 

Sometimes,  when  Easter  fell  early  in  the  year, 
these  receptions  continued  for  some  weeks  longer, 
but  this  occurred  but  seldom,  because  the  Empress 
liked  to  go  to  Coblenz  as  soon  as  the  spring  began, 
and  the  Emperor,  on  his  side,  started  for  Wiesbaden 
to  nurse  his  rheumatism,  of  which  he  liked  to  talk 
with  a  certain  amount  of  martyred  enjoyment.  But 
he  invariably  returned  to  Berlin  towards  the  end  of 
May,  to  preside  over  the  great  manoeuvres  and  the 
annual  summer  parade  which  took  place  about  that 
time.  During  these  weeks  he  often  accepted  invitations 
to  dine  with  his  personal  friends,  such  as  Count 
Schleinitz,  who  was  then  Minister  of  the  Imperial 
Household,  the  old  Duke  de  Sagan,  the  foreign  am- 
bassadors, and  a  few  other  people.  William  I. 
enormously  enjoyed  these  festivities,  the  more  so 
that  he  could  then  be  free  from  the  perpetual  watching 
which  the  Empress  exercised  over  him.  It  was  also 
during  these  spring  months  that  he  gave  military 
dinners  from  which  ladies  were  excluded.  In  Potsdam, 
during  the  last  days  of  June,  the  annual  feast  of  the 
"Lehr  Infanterie  Bataillon"  took  place.  It  is  collo- 
quially referred  to  by  the  inhabitants  of  Berlin  as  the 
"  Schrippen-Fest,"  after  a  particular  kind  of  small 
loaves  distributed  to  the  soldiers  on  the  occasion. 
This   ceremony   was   followed   by   a   gala   performance 

73 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

with  the  Crown  Princess  as  hostess,  in  one  of  the 
halls  of  the  New  Palace  of  Potsdam,  where  the  heir 
to  the  throne  and  his  family  dwelt  during  the  summer. 
After  this  the  Emperor  went  to  Ems,  and  in  August 
returned  to  the  castle  of  Babelsberg,  near  Potsdam, 
where  the  Empress  used  to  join  him.  At  Babelsberg 
the  Sovereigns  received  the  few  members  of  Court 
society  kept  in  Berlin  at  that  time  of  the  year  by  their 
military  or  other  functions.  The  kindness  with  which 
the  Royal  host  and  hostess  welcomed  these  guests 
amply  compensated  for  the  annoyance  of  these  in- 
vitations, which  obliged  the  recipients  to  leave  Berlin 
in  full  evening  dress  at  midday  by  an  ordinary  train 
without  even  a  reserved  carriage  for  the  Emperor's 
guests,  because  they  dined  in  summer  at  four  o'clock 
at  the  Imperial  Court.  At  the  Potsdam  railway 
station  carriages  were  waiting,  but  on  arriving  at 
the  Castle  there  was  no  room  in  readiness  where  one 
could  brush  off  the  dust  of  the  road,  and  ladies  for 
the  most  part  were  obliged  to  take  off  their  hats  and 
put  their  hair  in  order  without  even  the  help  of  a 
looking-glass. 

In  September  the  Empress  returned  to  Coblenz, 
whence  she  went  to  Baden-Baden  to  take  the  cure, 
and  spend  a  few  weeks  with  her  daughter,  the  Grand 
Duchess  Louise.  She  used  to  stay  at  the  Hotel  Mess- 
mer,  where  she  occupied  an  extremely  modest  apart- 
ment. After  the  manoeuvres  the  Emperor  spent  a 
short  time  at  Baden,  and  returned  to  Berlin  by  the 
end  of  October ;  the  Empress  joined  him  much  later. 
The  Grand  Duchess,  at  that  period  of  the  year,  used 
to  spend  a  few  weeks  with  her  father,  for  whom  she 

74 


The  Emperor  Goes  Shooting 

had  the  greatest  affection.  She  was  his  favourite 
child,  and  he  loved  her,  too,  with  an  infinite  tender- 
ness. In  the  course  of  the  autumn  big  shooting 
parties  were  given  at  the  Imperial  Court,  and  the 
Emperor  also  accepted  shooting  invitations  at  the 
country  estates  of  a  few  great  noblemen,  such  as 
Count  Stolberg-Wernigerode,  Prince  Pless,  the  Duke 
de  Sagan,  and  the  Duke  of  Ratibor.  In  December 
the  Empress  returned  to  Berlin,  where  the  winter 
season  usually  opened  with  a  grand  dinner  to  the  foreign 
ambassadors  accredited  at  their  Court,  and  by  another 
to  which  the  principal  members  of  the  Imperial  house- 
hold were  invited. 


75 


CHAPTER    V 

A   DISAPPOINTED    LIFE 

I  HAVE  spoken  of  the  personal  characteristics  of  the 
Emperor  WilUam  I.  ;  it  is  now  time  perhaps  to 
refer  to  the  Empress.  She  must  occupy  an  important 
place  in  any  more  or  less  conscientious  chronicle  of 
the  reign  of  William  I.  The  part  she  played  in  his 
life  was  considerable,  though  entirely  different  from 
the  role  she  would  have  chosen  for  herself.  The 
life  of  Augusta  can  be  described  in  one  word — dis- 
appointment. She  was  disappointed  during  the  whole 
course  of  her  royal  career ;  but  she  was  never  dis- 
illusioned, because  she  neither  realised  her  own  im- 
perfections nor  succeeded  in  understanding  that  she 
alone  was  responsible  for  the  numerous  deceptions 
which  she  practised  on  herself.  She  was  the  first 
Empress  of  the  new  Empire,  and  this  fact  alone  would 
have  been  sufficient  to  immortalise  her  name,  and 
to  give  her  a  preponderant  place  in  that  Empire 
even  if  she  had  had  no  personal  qualities  of  her  own, 
which,  indeed,  was  not  the  case. 

The  Empress  Augusta  possessed  many  real  and 
great  virtues,  but  unfortunately  she  never  knew  how 
to  adapt  herself  to  circumstances,  and,  as  a  result, 
her  life  was  at  the  same  time  active  and  self-effacing, 
energetic  and  full  of  indecision,  ridiculous  and  sublime 

76 


Shortcomings  of  an  Empress 

in   the    impulses    of   real    and   fervent   charity,    which 
always  induced  her  to  try  to  aid  the  numerous  human 
miseries  which  she  met  on  her  path.     What  she  needed 
most    was    tact,    and    her    principal    shortcoming    was 
her  false  and  exaggerated  idea  of  what  she  considered 
to    be    her    duty.     Her    lack    of    dignified    simplicity 
harmed   her   immensely,    and   her   efforts   to   surround 
herself  with  those  who  knew  how  to   flatter   her  pro- 
cured  her   a   considerable   number   of  enemies.     As   a 
mother  she  was  admirable,  and  yet  she  never  acquired 
any  real  influence  over  her  children.     As  a  wife  she  was 
a  model  of  devotion,  without,  however,    succeeding  in 
living  upon  good  terms  with  the  Emperor.     She  tired 
him,    just   as    she   tired    all   those   whom   she   aflowed 
around  her,  by  her  affectation,  her  manner  of  speak- 
ing,   her    caprices,    her    desire     to     make     her     own 
opinions    prevail    over    those    of    others,    and    by    her 
intransigence.     She    mapped    out    for    herself    a    line 
of   conduct,  and    perhaps,    because    of   the    power   she 
possessed  to  carry  anything  through  at  all  costs,   she 
forgot   that    although   circumstances   may   arise   which 
demand    the    abridgment    of   even    the     best  -  planned 
programme,  it  sometimes  becomes  impossible  to  draw 
back. 

Augusta,  in  reality,  was  a  conventional  sovereign 
such  as  met  with  in  those  books  which  are  specially 
written  for  the  young ;  she  was  not  a  Queen  who 
could  touch  the  hearts  of  her  subjects  or  inspire  them 
to  any  unselfish  devotion.  She  was  never  popular, 
and  perhaps  she  did  not  seek  to  become  so  ;  crowds 
did  not  frighten  her,  but  were  repugnant  to  her  in- 
stincts.    She^did    good    around    her,    simply    from    a 

77 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

feeling  of  duty  and  of  aristocratic  pride,  but  without 
even  trying  to  enter  into  the  details  of  the  misery 
or  the  sufferings  which  she  hastened  to  relieve,  simply 
because  she  thought  it  necessary,  and  not  because 
it  afforded  her  any  pleasure  or  interest  in  her  fellow 
creatures.  She  desired  above  everything  else  to  play 
worthily  her  part  as  Empress  and  to  safeguard  her 
personal  dignity.  She  remained  faithful  to  that  feeling 
all  her  life,  and  completely  surrendered  her  whole 
being  to  her  haughty  principles.  With  an  energy 
surprising  in  one  so  frail  and  ill,  she  insisted,  as  she 
was  incapable  of  walking,  on  being  carried  to  the 
old  Castle  the  first  time  that  the  present  Emperor, 
William  II.,  entered  it  after  his  accession  to  the  throne, 
in  order  that  she  should  be  the  first  to  greet  the  new 
monarch.  Although  she  was  his  grandmother,  she  con- 
sidered herself  nevertheless  as  his  first  subject. 

Augusta's  existence,  as  I  have  said  already,  was 
nothing  but  one  long  disappointment.  Her  youth 
was  spent  sadly  at  the  little  Court  of  Weimar,  under 
the  eyes  of  her  mother,  a  Princess  of  a  very  cold  and 
haughty  character.  Her  mother  was  very  proud  of 
the  fact  that  by  birth  she  was  a  Russian  Grand  Duchess, 
and  used  to  domineer  over  everyone  wherever  she  went, 
and  indeed  in  her  own  family  circle  she  inspired  more 
fear  than  affection.  In  spite  of  this  she  was  extremely 
intelligent,  a  lover  of  literature,  and  admirably  sus- 
tained the  traditions  of  her  family,  which  was  so 
famous  for  its  attachment  to  all  intellectual  matters, 
and  particularly  for  its  friendship  for  that  great 
personality,  Goethe.  She  would  not  admit  any 
superiority   above   her   own,   nor   allow   familiarity   on 

78 


Empress  Augusta's  Youth 

the  part  of  her  children,  whom  she  used  to  treat  more 
as  would  a  queen  than  a  mother.  The  Princess 
Augusta  had  therefore  a  very  solitary  youth,  and 
tried  to  forget  her  loneliness  by  study  and  reading. 
Her  instruction  as  well  as  her  education  was  con- 
ducted most  carefully  ;  the  Grand  Duchess  of  Weimar, 
who  was  very  ambitious  for  her  daughters,  had  desired 
to  prepare  them  well  for  their  future  Imperial  duties. 
The  Empress  used  to  tell  her  friends  that  she  had 
been  taught  the  art  of  polite  conversation  by  being 
forced  to  talk  to  empty  chairs,  each  of  which  was 
supposed  to  represent  some  great  personage.  Un- 
fortunately this  exercise  appeared  to  have  created 
the  habit  of  treating  living  men  like  inanimate  things, 
for  she  spoke  so  automatically  to  those  who  sur- 
rounded her  that  the  impression  was  irresistibly 
conveyed  that  it  was  absolutely  indifferent  to  her 
what  kind  of  reply  she  received.  Her  expressions 
never  went  beyond  certain  phrases,  always  prepared 
beforehand,  and  this  fact  alone  was  sufficient  to 
render  any  conversation  with  her  embarrassing  as 
well  as  difficult.  She  had  no  spontaneity  cither  in 
her  character ;  everything  natural  seemed  absolutely 
unknown  to  her.  Her  whole  deportment  was  studied 
and  designed  to  impress  those  around  her.  Her  life 
was  a  pose,  and  her  intelligence  seemed  to  be  con- 
verged on  one  point  only,  that  of  never  forgetting 
her  privileges  as  an  Empress.  She  gave  one  the  im- 
pression that  she  would  have  made  an  inferior  actress, 
but  one  who  studied  her  parts  thoroughly  well. 

Her    nature    was    perhaps    affectionate,     certainly 
kind    and    compassionate,    but    she    was    neither    sym- 

79 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

pathetic  nor  obliging,  and  could  only  ask  or  refuse 
anything  in  a  clumsy  and  awkward  way.  This 
awkwardness  clung  to  her  in  every  possible  circum- 
stance— in  her  family  relations,  in  her  married  life, 
as  well  as  in  her  public  career.  Though  she  considered 
herself  an  artist,  she  was  not  gifted  with  any  real 
artistic  feelings  ;  her  taste  was  deplorable,  her  literary 
knowledge,  though  certainly  deep,  did  not  go  beyond 
a  certain  area,  and  she  had  not  been  able  to  shake 
off  the  influences  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  spirit 
of  which  had  presided  over  her  education.  She  was 
fond  of  French  authors,  and  liked  to  protect  them 
in  preference  to  German  writers.  Her  favourite  read- 
ing was  that  of  the  "  Revue  des  Deux  Mondes,"  some  of 
the  contributors  to  which — such  as  Maxime  Du  Camp, 
for  instance — she  had  known  personally  at  Baden- 
Baden.  Her  political  tendencies  were  legitimist  more 
than  anything  else,  and  if  she  showed  great  interest 
in  Napoleon  III.  after  the  disasters  of  1870,  it  was 
again  more  through  affectation  than  through  any 
feeling  of  friendship  or  of  compassion.  In  this  instance, 
as  well  as  in  all  others,  she  desired,  above  everything 
else,  to  put  herself  forward  in  the  light  she  considered 
to  be  the  proper  one. 

The  married  life  of  the  Empress  brought  her 
nothing  but  great  deceptions.  She  had  been  very 
well  aware  of  the  affection  which  Prince  William 
of  Prussia  had  entertained  for  his  cousin,  the  Princess 
Elisa  Radziwill,  and  she  had  understood  that  his 
marriage  with  her  had  been  nothing  else  but  one  of 
convenience,  in  which  political  expediency  alone  had 
been  the  agent.     It  is  probable  that  this  circumstance 

80 


Frederick's  Early  Training 

filled  her  with  a  bitterness  which  left  its  impress 
deeply  on  her  soul.  She  had  nothing,  or  at  least  very- 
little,  in  common  with  the  husband  who  had  been 
imposed  upon  her,  and  secretly  she  despised  his 
military  tastes.  Even  the  birth  of  their  two  children 
did  not  bring  the  couple  nearer  to  each  other. 

The  Princess  of  Prussia  fulfilled  her  motherly 
duties  with  the  same  rigid  thoroughness  which  she 
put  into  all  her  other  duties,  but  her  efforts  were  not 
rewarded.  Even  in  regard  to  her  children  the  an- 
tagonism which  divided  her  from  the  Prince  made 
itself  felt.  The  Princess  of  Prussia,  as  she  was  called 
at  that  time,  wanted  to  prepare  her  son  Frederick 
for  his  career  as  a  future  sovereign,  and  to  help  him 
to  understand  the  duties  which  it  entailed  upon  him, 
as  well  as  to  awaken  his  natural  instincts  of  chivalry. 
The  Prince  of  Prussia,  on  the  contrary,  clung  to  the 
old  traditions  of  the  HohenzoUerns,  which  did  not 
admit  sentiment  of  any  kind,  and  still  less  a  deep 
affection. 

The  result  of  this  state  of  things  was  that  the 
relations  between  mother  and  son  were  very  intimate 
at  first,  especially  before  the  marriage  of  the  future 
Crown  Prince,  whilst  those  of  the  King  with  his  heir 
never  went  beyond  the  limits  of  an  affection,  very 
respectful  on  the  one  side,  and  sometimes  very 
impatient  on  the  other. 


81 


CHAPTER    VI 

AN   empress's    foibles 

UNTIL  the  day  she  ascended  the  Prussian  throne 
the  Empress  Augusta  led  a  very  retired  hfe. 
She  did  not  care  to  be  in  Berhn,  where  she  always 
felt  in  a  false  position  because,  although  the  mother  of 
the  future  heir  presumptive  to  the  crown,  she  did  not 
exercise  any  real  influence.  The  reigning  Queen,  Eliza- 
beth, had  no  great  affection  for  her,  and  between 
her  and  her  elder  sister,  the  Princess  Charles  of  Prussia, 
there  existed  a  kind  of  worldly  rivalry  that  tended 
to  interfere  with  their  relations  to  each  other.  Her 
haughty  and  intriguing  nature  seethed  with  impatience 
at  the  secondary  part  she  found  herself  obliged  to 
play.  So  patent  was  her  position  that  many  who 
were  not  well-disposed  toward  Augusta  took  occasion, 
whenever  opportunity  occurred,  to  taunt  her  upon 
this  impotence  which,  naturally,  made  matters  worse. 

Her  political  opinions  were  essentially  opposed 
to  those  of  her  husband,  and  the  riots  which  had 
taken  place  in  Berlin  in  1848  had  painfully  impressed 
her.  She  could  not  forgive  the  Prince  for  having 
fled  the  capital,  and  she  did  not  scruple  to  say  so 
whenever  she  had  opportunity. 

She  lived  a  life  of  her  own  in  the  royal  castle  of 
Coblenz,  and  in  her  actions  a  kind  of  tacit  opposition 

82 


Domestic  Troubles 

to  the  men  then  in  power  held  a  large  place.     In  regard 
to    her    husband    she    frequently    showed    fits    of   im- 
patience  which   did   not   make   him   inchned   to   seek 
consolation    and    encouragement    at    his    own    fireside. 
A   deep   gulf  divided   the   couple   very   soon,   and   the 
numerous    infidelities    of   the    Prince,    which    had    not 
been  hidden  from  the  knowledge  of  the  Princess,  had 
aggravated    the    sufferings    endured    by    her    vanity, 
and   by   her   fiery   nature,    which   always   inclined   her 
to    exaggerate    everything.     Sometimes    her    agitation 
bordered  on  insanity.     She  was  always  restlessly  active, 
and  could  not  refrain  from  intrigue  when  she  found 
nothing  else  to  do;    she  was  given,   also,   to  pouring 
into   any   willing   ear   her   catalogue   of  personal   woes 
and   feelings.      These   characteristics   were   exceedingly 
unfortunate,    as    her   absence   of  tact   made   her    take 
a  multitude  of  wrong  steps,   in  politics  as  well  as   in 
her  private  life.     In  this  way  she  created  many  enemies. 
The  Empress  was  fully  convinced  of  her  own  per- 
fections and  intelligence,  and  in  making  friends  sought 
them   among   people   who   succeeded— an   easy   task  — 
in  persuading   her   that   they  shared  her  opinions  and 
her  way  of  looking  at  things.     Unfortunately  for  her, 
there    were    very    few    among    those    so-called    friends 
who    were    really    attached    to    her.       They    generally 
made   use   of  her,    they   frequently   compromised   her, 
but  they  could   never  give  her  good  advice,   because 
she  had  never  been  able  to  choose  her  friends  among 
the    right    people,    and    never    felt    disposed    to    hsten 
to    any    who    were    really    competent    to    guide    her 
footsteps. 

Augusta    entertained    high     ideas     of    her    duties 

83 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

as  a  sovereign,  for  which  she  had  prepared  herself  for 
a  considerable  number  of  years.  She  had  mapped 
out  an  entire  programme  of  conduct  from  the  day 
when  she  became  Queen,  and  when  that  consummation 
arrived  at  last  she  did  not  attempt  to  hide  from  the 
public  the  satisfaction  that  the  fact  afforded  her. 

Concurrently  with  Augusta  becoming  Queen,  her 
relations  with  the  King  considerably  improved.  He 
allowed  her  to  exercise  in  a  certain  measure  her 
devouring  activity  in  the  domain  of  charity,  and  the 
amount  of  useful  institutions  founded  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  Empress  Augusta  have  remained  to  this 
day  witnesses  of  an  activity  which  she  sustained 
during  the  whole  course  of  her  long  life.  Her  subjects 
owe  her  much  in  that  respect.  The  Augusta  Stift  in 
Charlottenburg  is  an  institution  which  will  always 
remind  the  German  nation  of  the  solicitude  of  that 
sovereign  for  the  welfare  of  those  women  who  are 
dependent  upon  their  own  exertions  for  their  daily 
bread.  Without  her  it  is  almost  certain,  too,  that 
the  Red  Cross  Society  would  never  have  been  able 
to  develop  itself  so  rapidly  as  it  did.  Every  attempt 
made  to  alleviate  misery  and  privation  or  to  work 
toward  the  accomplishment  of  some  great  social  reform, 
found  in  her  a  steadfast  protector. 

During  the  war  of  1866,  and  later  on  in  1870,  the 
Queen  considerably  extended  her  efforts.  The  care 
which  she  took  of  the  wounded,  no  matter  what 
nationality  they  belonged  to,  deserves  the  highest 
praise.  She  was  interested  in  everything  that  touched 
the  welfare  of  the  poorer  classes,  hospitals  especially, 
and   to   her   praise    it   must   be    said   that   she   never 

84 


The  Empire  Proclaimed 

made  the  slightest  distinction  between  Protestant 
charitable  institutions  or  those  of  Catholic  persuasion. 
Her  religious  tolerance  was  considerable,  though  her 
secret  sympathies  were  more  Catholic  than  otherwise, 
and  it  is  quite  certain  that  during  the  Kulturkampf 
she  showed  herself  the  most  serious  antagonist  Bismarck 
had  to  fight.  He  never  forgave  her  for  her  attitude 
in  regard  to  that  question. 

When  the  German  Empire  was  proclaimed  at 
Versailles,  the  Empress  was  greatly  concerned,  and 
did  not  hide  from  the  public  her  disapproval  of  all 
that  was  going  on.  In  reality  what  had  angered  her 
more  than  anything  else  was  that  she  had  not  been 
consulted  on  the  matter ;  in  fact,  she  only  heard  of 
the  event  when  it  was  publicly  announced.  Perhaps 
her  feelings  had  suffered  as  much  as  her  self-conceit 
to  find  that  the  King  had  considered  her  so  little  in 
this  important  circumstance  that  he  had  not  even 
tried  to  discuss  it  with  her.  Nevertheless,  she  entered 
quickly  into  her  new  position,  and  soon  learned  to 
appreciate  fully  the  Imperial  Crown  which  had  been 
put  upon  her  head  so  late  in  life.  She  became  most 
punctilious  in  everything  that  concerned  matters  of 
etiquette,  and  used  to  spend  a  great  deal  of  her  time 
in  formulating  a  new  code  of  precedence,  trying  to 
revive  the  traditions  of  the  old  German  Empire. 

In  this  she  was  very  different  from  the  Emperor,  who 
never  thought  of  himself  as  anything  else  but  King 
of  Prussia,  and  who,  until  his  death,  remained  more 
proud  of  this  title  than  of  being  Emperor,  for  the 
reason  that  he  held  the  former  by  the  grace  of  God, 
and  not,  as  the  latter,  by  the  good-will  of  some  people 

85 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

for  whom,  when  all  is  said  and  done,  he  did  not  care 
in  the  least. 

The  proclamation  of  the  Empire  brought  about  a 
considerable  change  for  the  better  in  the  relations 
between  the  royal  couple.  To  speak  the  truth,  sub- 
jects of  discussion  between  them  abounded  just  as 
much  as  formerly,  and  that  of  the  dominating  power 
which  the  events  of  1870-1  awarded  to  Prince  Bismarck 
added  itself  to  the  already  long  list.  The  Empress 
could  not  bear  the  Chancellor,  who  returned  her  aversion 
with  interest.  He  despised  her  perpetual  intrigues, 
and  at  the  same  time  dreaded  them,  because  he  knew 
how  painfully  they  affected  the  King.  He  was  annoyed 
to  find  her  always  in  his  way,  and  to  be  obliged  to  treat 
with  respect  a  person  whose  intelligence  he  so  thoroughly 
disdained.  He  also  felt  angry  with  the  Empress  for 
the  tenacity  with  which,  whenever  she  wanted  to  get 
anything  out  of  him,  she  importuned  the  Emperor, 
until  he  yielded  to  her  out  of  absolute  weariness. 

The  Chancellor,  moreover,  could  not  forgive  Augusta 
for  putting  herself  into  open  opposition  with  the  policy 
for  which  he  was  responsible,  and  for  indulging  in 
childish  conspiracies  against  him,  together  with  certain 
of  her  circle,  whose  sympathies  with  France  rendered 
them  suspicious  in  his  eyes. 

As  I  have  hinted,  the  Empress  was  not  fortunate 
in  her  choice  of  friends ;  her  most  immediate  entourage 
was  composed  of  people  of  the  most  moderate  in- 
telligence, and  who  belonged  to  a  circle  that  had  few 
family  traditions,  and  were  considered  petty  and  mean 
by  the  German  aristocracy.  These,  however,  were  the 
only  persons  with  whom  she  felt  at  ease,  though  she 

86 


Augusta's  Little  Failings 

treated  them  with  characteristic  disdain.  She  was 
always  amiable  with  everybody,  but  her  amiability 
was  so  thoroughly  exaggerated,  that  one  felt  at  once 
it  contained  in  its  manifestations  no  sincere  cordiality 
or  real  sympathy.  She  liked,  above  everything  else, 
to  shower  complimentary  trivialities  even  upon  those 
whom  she  disliked.  In  this,  as  in  so  many  other 
things,  she  differed  from  her  daughter-in-law,  whose 
frank  and  open  nature  never  left  any  one  in  doubt 
as  to  what  were  her  feelings. 

The  Empress  Augusta  suffered,  too,  from  a  shade 
of  smallness  in  her  character ;  when  she  desired  to 
express  her  displeasure,  she  did  so  by  manifestations 
of  apparent  impoliteness  that  wounded  people  to  the 
quick.  Lacking,  too,  an  independence  of  character, 
she  often  received  persons  whom  she  detested,  but 
she  treated  them  as  badly  as  it  was  possible,  whereas 
it  would  have  been  far  more  dignified  had  she  frankly 
excluded  them  from  her  receptions. 

She  was  never  able  to  grant  a  favour  with  good 
grace,  nor  could  she  refuse  anything  with  firmness ; 
even  her  charity,  though  it  was  unbounded  and  immense, 
did  not  seem  to  proceed  from  her  good  heart ;  she  used 
to  spoil  all  her  philanthropic  demonstrations  by  a 
natural  awkwardness,  which  never  allowed  her  to 
smile  when  she  was  conferring  a  favour.  And  some- 
times in  life  a  smile  or  a  word  of  encouragement  pro- 
duces more  good,  and  wins  more  hearts,  than  thousands 
spent  with  ostentation,  but  without  real  warmth  of 
soul. 

It  may  seem  a  paradox  that  the  greatest  defect 
of  this  unfortunate  sovereign,  who  lived  and  died  un- 

87 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

appreciated  even  by  her  nearest  and  dearest,  con- 
sisted in  a  wrong  and  badly  developed  conception  of 
her  duties.  In  reality,  however,  it  is  not  so,  and 
whoever  has  known  the  Empress  Augusta  will  at  once 
understand  what  it  is  I  mean. 

She  tried  to  apply  everywhere,  rightly  or  wrongly, 
the  programme  she  had  sketched  out  for  herself.  The 
numerous  charitable  deeds  and  institutions  in  which 
she  interested  herself  remained  empty  of  any  elevating 
spirit,  just  as  did  the  actions  of  her  life  ;  her  intrigues 
were  always  second-rate,  because  she  tried  to  hide 
them  also  under  the  mask  of  duty  ;  she  vigorously 
took  up  the  Catholic  cause  during  the  Kulturkampf, 
because  she  imagined  that  by  doing  so  she  was  fulfilling 
an  obligation  of  charity  first  and  of  justice  afterwards. 

In  her  own  way  she  constantly  opposed  Prince 
Bismarck,  because  she  quite  sincerely  believed  his  con- 
duct was  of  a  nature  to  harm  the  monarchy  at  whose 
head  stood  her  husband.  This  she  thought  was  the 
motive  which  actuated  her  hostility,  but  the  real 
reason  was  her  personal  antipathy  to  the  Chancellor. 
In  him  she  feared  a  rival  in  the  influence  which  she 
wanted  to  wield  over  the  Emperor,  whom  she  did  not 
love,  but  whom  she  aspired  to  govern,  at  least  in 
what  concerned  the  inner  questions  of  their  mutual 
existence. 

She  detested  the  Crown  Princess,  under  the  pretext 
that  it  was  her  duty  because  she  did  not  find  her 
sufficiently  German  in  heart  and  manners.  In  doing 
so  she  utterly  forgot  that  at  times  she  herself  was  too 
entirely  French  in  her  sympathies  to  be  able  to  bear 
with  proper  dignity  the  burden  of  the  Imperial  Crown 

88 


Imperial  Peculiarities 

which  the  Franco- German  war  had  placed  upon  her 
head. 

She  was  never  logical,  seldom  tactful,  and  did  not 
recognise  the  ridicule  she  excited.  At  Court  functions 
she  used,  until  her  widowhood,  to  dress  in  the  lightest 
of  colours,  and  to  cover  herself  with  artificial  flowers, 
and  never  noticed  the  bad  taste  she  displayed  in  adorning 
herself  like  a  young  girl.  She  had  an  unfortunate 
habit  of  always  making  gestures  with  her  hands,  giving 
thus  an  impression  of  a  perpetual  movement,  that  so 
thoroughly  unnerved  those  with  whom  she  was  talking 
that  they  became  quite  fidgety,  and  kept  wishing  the 
conversation  would  come  to  an  end. 

I  am  not  going  here  to  talk  about  the  political 
activity  of  the  Empress  Augusta,  I  am  only  speaking 
of  her  social  influence,  which  was  considerable,  but 
did  not  add  to  the  popularity  of  the  reigning  house. 
If  the  Emperor  had  not  been  always  beside  her,  in- 
variably kind,  good,  amiable  and  gracious,  it  is  probable 
that  the  Berlin  Court  would  not  have  been  so  brilliant 
as  it  was. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  all  I  have  said,  it  is  only 
fair  to  admit  that  at  root  Augusta's  instincts  were 
higher,  nobler,  more  artistic,  more  generous,  and 
more  unselfish  than  those  of  her  Imperial  Consort, 
but  she  succeeded  only  too  well  in  obscuring  these 
qualities  by  her  self-deceptions  and  superficialities. 


89 


CHAPTER    VII 

PRINCE    FREDERICK 

WHEN,  on  my  marriage,  I  came  from  St.  Peters- 
burg to  my  new  home  in  Berlin  the  Crown 
Prince  of  Germany  was  forty-two  years  old.  Disillu- 
sions and  deceptions,  from  which  he  was  to  suffer  later, 
had  not  yet  broken  him  ;  that  perpetual  waiting  for 
the  Crown,  in  which  his  whole  life  was  spent— for  one 
can  hardly  take  into  account  the  three  short  months 
during  which  he  occupied  the  throne —had  not  yet 
demoralised  him.  Popular  not  only  with  the  army, 
but  with  the  nation,  he  was  familiarly  called  "  Our 
Fritz  "  ;  and  his  brave  conduct  during  the  two  diffi- 
cult campaigns  out  of  which  Prussia  had  emerged 
transformed  into  an  Empire,  had  won  for  him  the 
admiration  of  even  the  most  resolute  adversaries  that 
the  monarchy  possessed  in  Germany. 

The  Prince  was  respected  ;  he  inspired  confidence  ; 
and  many  people  placed  in  him  their  hopes  for  the 
future.  At  the  time  when  I  was  married,  no  one 
supposed  that  the  Emperor  was  going  to  live  to  the 
age  of  ninety-one  and  that  his  son's  death  would 
follow  almost  immediately  upon  his  own.  The  Prince, 
therefore,  was  looked  upon  as  the  sovereign  of  the 
morrow,  whose  reign  might  begin  at  any  moment ; 
and,  since  at  that  time  he  was  in  the  full  strength  of 

90 


0  j^^>,^/l,.^  j^'^ 


y-^M/a^^T/ 


EMPEROR  FREDERICK  111  OF  PRUSSIA. 


After  the  Franco-German  War 

his  manhood,  resplendent  in  health  and  life,  people 
delighted  to  gather  round  and  flatter  him.  Even  his 
personal  relations  with  his  father,  which  at  one  time 
had  been  extremely  strained,  began  materially  to 
improve. 

The  years  which  followed  the  Franco- German  War 
were  perhaps  the  most  peaceful  and  happy  ones  in 
the  life  of  Frederick  III.  Later,  many  cares  darkened 
his  life  and  bereft  him  of  hope  and  self-confidence, 
also  of  his  faith  in  the  possibility  of  doing  the  good 
about  which  his  great  soul  had  dreamed.  But  in  1873 
he  was  still  the  Knight  of  Lohengrin,  with  a  splendid 
physique  and  with  a  noble  character,  always  ready 
to  rush  to  the  defence  of  those  who  were  ill-treated  or 
trodden  upon,  and  to  interest  himself  in  every  worthy 
cause. 

I  have  often  thought  of  him  since  those  long-past 
days,  and  I  like  to  do  so  in  the  light  in  which  he  ap- 
peared to  me  when,  for  the  first  time,  I  saw  him  in  his 
white  cuirassier  uniform — the  pattern  of  strength, 
vigour,  and  manhood,  with  whom  it  seemed  impossible 
to  associate  any  idea  of  illness,  suffering,  or  death. 
Many  years  ago  I  committed  to  paper  a  word-portrait 
of  him,  and  in  re-reading  the  description  it  seems  to 
me  that  it  still  gives  apt  expression  of  my  opinion 
regarding  the  personality  of  the  Emperor.  I  hope  I 
shall  be  forgiven  if  I  quote  the  words  I  used  at 
that  time.  I  do  not  think  I  could  add  anything  to 
them  to-day,  and  I  think  I  judged  Frederick  III.  and 
his  father  rightly  when  I  said  that  their  characters 
offered  many  points  of  resemblance. 

"  The  one  as  well  as  the  other  was  always  willing 

91 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

and  ready  to  sacrifice  his  own  person  to  the  welfare 
of  the  State — with  one  essential  difference,  however, 
for  whilst  the  old  Emperor  was  always  conscious  of 
the  dignity  of  the  Crown,  his  son  thought  more  about 
that  of  its  wearer.  Brought  up  in  different  times, 
the  Crown  Prince  was  all  his  life  more  or  less  under 
the  impression  of  the  humiliation  which  the  events 
of  1848  had  made  upon  his  youthful  mind.  He  had 
grown  up  under  it,  just  as  his  father  had  entered 
life  under  the  more  terrible  shadow  of  Jena  and  the 
disasters  through  which  Prussia  had  seen  its  very 
existence  threatened.  An  abyss  lay  between  the  two 
men  :  the  abyss  which  separates  the  sacred  rights  of 
kings  from  those  of  a  sovereign  people.  William  I. 
had  seen  the  foot  of  the  Corsican  adventurer  pressed 
down  heavily  upon  his  nation  and  his  dynasty  ;  he 
remembered  the  tears  of  his  mother,  and  all  those 
dark  days  when  the  Queen  of  Prussia  wept  in  a  mean 
little  room  at  Memel.  Frederick  III.  had  witnessed 
the  invasion  of  the  palace  of  his  fathers  by  the  mob, 
and  its  triumph  in  the  streets  of  the  capital.  He  grew 
up  with  the  image  of  Lassalle  before  his  eyes,  whilst 
his  father  had  had  that  of  the  great  Napoleon. 

"  This  explains  the  difference  between  the  two  men^ 
and  their  respective  characters.  In  his  father's  days 
no  differences  divided  fathers  from  their  sons  ;  they 
had  one  common  object  in  view  :  the  defeat  of  the 
man  in  whom  they  saw  the  enemy  of  all  that  they 
held  dear.  It  was  not  a  question  of  taking  another 
generation's  place,  but  the  far,  far  more  important  one 
of  winning  back  the  place  in  which  an  usurper  had 
boldly  installed  himself.     Both  young  and  old  found 

92 


After  the  English  Pattern 

themselves  united  in  a  common  cause  against  a  common 
foe. 

"  With  Frederick  III.  things  were  very  different. 
Born  with  a  critical  turn  of  mind  and  a  most  generous 
disposition,  he  was  by  nature  the  sort  of  man  who 
would  embrace  any  new  idea  if  he  thought  it  could  be 
conducive  to  his  neighbour's  good.  Brought  up  in 
Liberal  opinions  by  his  mother,  profoundly  imbued  with 
a  sense  of  obligation  towards  humanity  in  general, 
his  greatest  mistake,  if  mistake  it  can  be  called, 
was  to  put  humanity  before  individualities  and 
nationalities. 

"  He  was  not  obstinate,  and  yet  there  was  in  him 
a  good  deal  of  that  perseverance  in  opinions  which  has 
always  been  one  of  the  characteristics  of  the  Hohen- 
zollerns.  Devoted  to  his  wife,  and  influenced  by  his 
father-in-law,  the  late  Prince  Consort,  he  had  taken 
him  for  his  model,  forgetting  that  the  position  of  a 
German  Prince  Consort  in  constitutional  England  could 
not  be  compared  to  that  of  the  legitimate  sovereign 
of  Prussia.  He  did  not  realise  that  the  great  respect 
which  Prince  Albert  displayed,  and  with  which  he 
tried  to  imbue  Queen  Victoria,  for  constitutional 
government,  might  have  its  source  in  the  fact  that 
British  public  opinion  would  never  have  forgiven  him 
had  he  ever  forgotten  it.  Wisdom  is  often  a  matter 
of  necessity  ;  it  is  certain  that  at  the  time  of  the 
famous  struggle  between  the  old  Emperor  and  his  son, 
in  the  early  days  of  the  reign  of  William  I.,  he  was 
right,  and  the  Crown  Prince  was  wrong  in  fact,  how- 
ever much  he  might  have  been  justified  in  theory. 
This   struggle    unfortunately   created   a   bitterness   be- 

93 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

tween  the  two  men,  which  even  the  glorious  events 
that  led  to  the  restoration  of  the  Empire  did  not 
succeed  in  effacing. 

"  It  would  have  been  difficult  to  find  a  more  loving 
personality  than  that  of  Frederick  III.  ;  he  was  every- 
thing that  is  noble,  everything  that  is  good  ;  to  be 
near  him  was  to  get  away  from  the  pettiness,  the  fret, 
the  evil,  the  injustices  of  so-called  society.  His  mind 
was  noble,  his  nature  was  true,  his  heart  was  kind. 
He  had  known  disappointment  and  sorrow,  had 
measured  the  ingratitude  of  mankind,  had  been  con- 
fronted by  some  of  the  most  serious  problems  of  life, 
and  had  never  failed  in  any  of  his  duties.  His  was 
an  heroic  existence — as  heroic  as  was  his  death.  He 
had  but  few  faults,  and  these  were  mostly  of  a  kind 
which  would  have  been  called  qualities  in  anyone  else. 
A  dutiful  son,  an  admirable  husband  and  father,  a 
faithful  friend,  a  good  man,  there  is  no  doubt  that 
he  would  have  made  an  excellent  sovereign. 

"  His  political  qualifications  have  been  discussed.  It 
is  certain  that  he  had  not  the  proud  conviction  of  the 
nobility  of  his  mission  which  distinguished  his  father, 
nor  the  brilliancy  which  characterises  his  son,  but 
he  had  a  natural  uprightness  and  a  sound  common 
sense  which  would  have  carried  him  through  an}'^ 
difficulty,  public  or  private.  Schooled  into  submission 
to  circumstances  by  long  years  of  weary  waiting  for 
a  Crown  which  ultimately  was  only  to  be  his  for  three 
months,  and  grateful  by  nature,  it  is  certain  he  would 
never  have  dismissed  Prince  Bismarck,  nor  have 
attempted  to  rule  in  defiance  of  public  opinion,  as  his 
impetuous   son   has   so   often   done.     He   would   have 

94 


The  Crown  Prince's  Diary 

put  his  vast  experience  of  public  affairs  at  the  service 
not  only  of  his  country,  but  of  the  world  in  general. 

"  His  life  was  in  some  respects  a  painful  one.  It  is 
certain  that  at  no  time,  even  when  he  exercised  his 
Regency,  did  he  wield  great  influence  on  public  affairs  ; 
he  was  always  suspected  by  his  father,  and  made  use 
of  by  Bismarck  when  the  latter  found  himself  in  want 
of  support  against  some  opinion  of  the  old  Emperor's. 

"  The  diary  of  the  Crown  Prince  during  the  Franco- 
German  War,  compared  with  the  memoirs  of  Prince 
Bismarck,  throws  a  curious  light  upon  the  use  that 
was  made  of  the  former  by  the  real  master  of  the 
German  Empire,  one  of  whose  greatest  talents  was  the 
ability  to  discover  the  peculiarities  of  other  people 
and  to  turn  them  to  the  profit  of  his  own  schemes. 
Thus,  during  the  long  negotiations  which  preceded 
the  memorable  day  when  the  old  palace  of  the  kings 
of  France  was  the  scene  of  the  greatest  triumph  of  their 
immemorial  enemies,  had  it  not  been  for  the  Crown 
Prince,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  proclamation  of 
the  Empire  could  have  taken  place  so  easily  as  it  did 
at  last.  In  this  eventful  circumstance  Frederick  III. 
showed  himself  a  wiser  statesman  than  his  father, 
perhaps  because  he  had  at  the  same  time  fewer 
prejudices. 

'*  And  yet  he  was,  if  possible,  more  imbued  than 
his  father  with  a  sense  of  the  inferiority  of  all  the  other 
German  princes  in  comparison  with  his  own  race.  To 
illustrate  my  meaning  I  will  relate  a  curious  con- 
versation I  had  with  the  then  Crown  Prince  after 
the  tragic  death  of  King  Ludwig  of  Bavaria. 

"  We  met  at  the  wedding  breakfast  of  the  Countess 

95 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Schleinitz,  one  of  the  greatest  friends  of  the  Crown 
Princess,  who  had  become  the  wife  of  the  late  Austrian 
Ambassador  in  St.  Petersburg,  Count  Volkenstein.  Dur- 
ing the  meal  I  was  sitting  next  to  the  Prince,  who  had 
that  very  same  morning  returned  from  Munich,  where 
he  had  represented  his  father  at  the  funeral  of  the  un- 
fortunate king.  Of  course,  the  latter' s  mysterious  end 
was  the  subject  of  all  conversations  and,  naturally 
enough,  it  formed  part  of  ours.  I  had  myself  returned 
that  same  day  from  Paris,  where  I  had  been  on  a  visit 
to  my  aunts  ;  and  the  Crown  Prince  asked  me  what 
was  the  impression  produced  in  the  French  capital  by 

the  event. 

"  The  conversation  then  drifted  into  another  chan- 
nel, and  touched  upon  the  foundation  of  the  German 
Empire,  when  the  heir  to  the  throne,  in  recapitulat- 
ing the  different  facts  which  had  made  this  restora- 
tion possible,  spoke  of  what  in  his  opinion  ought  to 
be  the  feelings  of  German  princes  towards  the  new 
organisation  which  they  had  helped  to  build.  He 
then  used  these  remarkable  words,  speaking  in  French  : 
'  Les  'princes  allemands  devraient  toujours  se  souvenir 
qu'ils  ne  sont  que  les  pairs  de  V Empire —p-a-i-r-s —vous 
me  comprenez  ?'  ('  The  German  princes  should  always 
remember  that  they  are  only  the  peers  of  the  Empire 
— p-e-e-r-s  — you  understand  me?');  and  he  spelled 
the  word  slowly,  just  as  I  have  written  it.  The  key 
to  the  character  of  Frederick  III.  may  be  found  in 
this  remark. 

"  I  have  said  that  he  was  at  heart  a  Liberal,  and 
that  he  had  the  most  sincere  respect  for  constitutional 
government.     Indeed,    he   carried   this   respect   almost 

96 


Empress  Victoria's  Influence 

too  far  —too  far,  at  least,  for  the  heir  to  a  throne  whose 
principles  were  so  essentially  different  from  those 
which  have  helped  to  make  the  grandeur  of  the  English 
monarchy. 

"  In  that  sense  he  was,  perhaps,  too  much  under 
the  influence  of  his  wife  ;  though,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  Princess  would  have  been  decidedly  more  popu- 
lar if  she  had  not  yielded  as  much  as  she  did  to  certain 
opinions  of  her  husband.  In  many  cases  the  Princess 
was,  I  think,  credited  with  influencing  her  husband, 
when  it  was  not  true,  as  in  one  memorable  instance, 
that  of  the  execution  of  the  would-be  assassin  of  the 
old  Emperor,  young  Hodel.  At  that  time  (the  law 
has  been  modified  since  that  day)  it  was  imperative 
for  the  King  of  Prussia  to  sign  personally  every  death 
warrant.  William  I.  hated  so  much  this  part  of  his 
duties  that  no  capital  execution  had  ever  taken  place 
during  his  reign 

"  When  he  was  fired  upon  by  Hodel  he  declared 
at  once  his  intention  of  pardoning  the  unfortunate 
wretch.  But  then  took  place  the  second,  Nobiling's, 
attempt,  in  which  the  aged  monarch  nearly  lost  his 
life.  Whilst  he  lay  on  his  sick-bed,  Hodel  was  tried, 
and  of  course  sentenced  to  death.  The  Crown  Prince 
was  Regent.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  show  him- 
self merciful,  especially  in  view  of  all  that  had  been 
said  regarding  his  relations  with  his  father  ;  but  though 
he  never  hesitated  one  moment  to  do  what  his  duty 
required  of  him,  his  repugnance  to  the  application  of 
the  death  penalty  was  so  profound  that  he  allowed  the 
public  to  learn  something  of  it.  Indeed,  he  went  so 
far  as  to  tell  the  British  Ambassador,  Lord  Ampthill, 

H  97 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

who,  with  his  wife,  was  among  his  greatest  friends, 
that  he  had  never  felt  more  mihappy  than  on  the  day 
when,  by  a  stroke  of  his  pen,  he  had  sent  a  human 
creature  into  eternity. 

"  The  Crown  Princess,  though  quite  as  kind  as  her 
husband,  did  not  entirely  share  his  opinions  on  that 
delicate  point,  as  I  happen  to  know.  If  she  sought  to 
influence  him  at  all  it  would  have  been  to  overcome 
his  scruples,  but  she  did  not  do  so,  and  remained  per- 
fectly neutral;  but,  as  people  in  Berlin  always  blamed 
her  for  everything  that  they  did  not  like  in  the  Crown 
Prince,  she  was  made  responsible  for  the  hesitation, 
if  it  could  be  called  by  that  name,  which  he  had  dis- 
played when  confronted  by  one  of  the  painful  duties 
of  his  high  position." 

I  hope  the  reader  will  forgive  me  for  this  long 
quotation.  Perhaps  it  is  the  desire  not  to  reawaken 
bitter  memories  that  has  tempted  me  to  use  it. 
Perhaps,  also,  it  is  the  feeling  that  nothing  I  could  say 
now  would  be  able  to  render  him  so  well  the  justice 
he  deserves  as  the  words  I  wrote  when  all  these  things 
were  fresh  in  my  mind,  undistorted  by  the  glamour  or 
the  dimness  of  time.  Perhaps  if  I  tried  to  speak  about 
Frederick  III.  to-day  I  should  do  so  with  less  reticence, 
and  less  justice  in  regard  to  certain  people  who  were 
connected  with  the  sad  events  that  preceded  his  end, 
and  this  might  not  be  quite  fair,  because  I  was  not  in 
Berlin  at  the  time  of  his  last  illness  and  death,  so 
could  only  speak  about  it  from  hearsay. 

In  these  circumstances  it  seems  to  me  that  I  ought 
to  abstain  from  relating  what  I  have  heard  concern- 
ing that  most  pitiable  subject  and  the  differences  which 

98 


Imperial  Misunderstandings 

arose  between  the  Empress  Victoria  and  her  eldest  son, 
the  present  Monarch.  Unfortunately  it  is  certain  that 
misunderstandings  arose  between  them,  which,  as  usual 
in  the  like  occasions,  were  rendered  unnecessarily 
acrid  by  the  interference  of  third  parties.  It  is  also 
certain  that  painful  scenes  followed  upon  the  passing 
away  of  the  unfortunate  sovereign,  but  I  do  not  think 
it  wise  to  bring  back  to  public  remembrance  events 
which  ought  to  be  forgotten,  and  actions  which  are 
certainly  to-day  the  object  of  regret  to  those  who 
were  led  into  performing  tliem.  I  prefer  trying  to  call 
back  to  my  mind  the  affectionate  welcome  which  I 
invariably  received  from  the  Emperor  Frederick,  and 
his  soft,  ever  indulgent  voice,  which  still  rings  in  my 
ear  as  I  am  re-reading  his  last  message,  a  few  words 
written  in  pencil  not  many  days  before  he  passed  away, 
and  which  he  handed  over  for  me  to  my  husband, 
who  had  been  admitted  to  see  and  say  a  last  good-bye 
to  him. 

I  was  in  Russia  at  the  time,  near  my  father,  who 
also  died  that  same  summer.  I  was  therefore  pre- 
vented from  seeing  Frederick  III.  Perhaps  it  was 
for  the  best.  It  would  have  been  too  cruel  to  look  at 
him  broken  down  by  his  terrible  illness  and  worn  to  a 
shadow. 


99 


CHAPTER    VIII 

THE    IMPERIAL   FAMILY 

DURING   the    reign    of    the    Emperor    William    I. 
the  Prussian   Royal  Family  was  less  numerous 
than  it  is  now. 

The  Emperor  had  had  two  younger  brothers,  of 
whom  only  one,  Prince  Charles,  was  alive  when  I 
arrived  in  Berlin.  He  was  a  pleasant,  amiable  old 
man,  just  as  fascinating,  if  one  can  use  such  a  term,  as 
was  the  Emperor  himself.  He  represented  a  perfect 
type  of  a  grand  seigneur  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
and  his  manner  with  women  was  the  most  chival- 
rous possible,  with  just  enough  reticence  to  allow 
them  to  understand  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  dif- 
ferences in  social  condition,  and  also  in  years,  he  would 
have  hastened  to  fall  at  their  feet.  Everyone  liked 
him,  and  the  receptions  he  used  to  give  in  his  palace 
of  the  Wilhelms  Platz  were  very  popular,  especially 
one  that  used  to  take  place  every  year  on  the  3rd  of 
February,  the  birthday  of  the  Princess  Charles,  when 
in  a  series  of  living  pictures  figured  the  prettiest 
women  of  the  Berlin  court  and  society. 

The  Princess  Charles,  Princess  Marie  of  Saxe- Weimar 
by  birth,  was  the  eldest  sister  of  the  Empress  Augusta, 
but  quite  different  from  her  in  manner  as  well  as  in 
character,  though  she  shared  in  a  certain  measure  the 

100 


Death  of  Prince  Charles 

affectation  of  the  latter.  She  was  far  more  sympathetic 
than  her  sister,  and  if  she  had  not  followed  the  example 
of  the  Empress  in  persisting  in  the  desire  to  appear 
younger  than  she  really  was,  and  in  dressing  herself 
accordingly,  she  would  have  been  quite  charming. 
Unlike  the  Empress,  Princess  Charles  sedulously  avoided 
intrigue  ;    she  was,  moreover,  eminently  tactful. 

The  sisters  were  not  supposed  to  be  unusually 
fond  of  each  other;  indeed,  people  used  to  say  that 
the  Princess  Charles  did  not  like  having  to  yield 
precedence  to  her  younger  sister,  and  that  she  secretly 
coveted  the  Imperial  Crown  that  adorned  the  latter's 
brow.  Be  this  as  it  may,  it  was  necessary  to  be  a 
very  close  observer  to  discern  that  the  two  ladies  were 
not  inordinately  devoted  to  each  other. 

The  Princess  Charles  exercised  an  influence  over 
Berlin  society  until  her  death.  Her  household  was 
organised  on  luxurious  lines,  and  the  dinners  she  gave 
were  famous  for  their  elegance  and  the  excellence  of 
the  cooking.  But  when  she  died  in  the  beginning  of 
the  year  1877  the  Prince  shut  up  his  house  and  never 
appeared  again  in  society,  except  at  the  official  assem- 
blies which  he  had  to  attend.  He  died  suddenly,  at 
the  very  moment  when  festivities  were  being  pre- 
pared for  the  celebration  of  the  silver  wedding  of  the 
Crown  Prince  and  Crown  Princess,  and  his  demise 
caused  much  perturbation  in  Berlin  society,  which  had 
been  eager  to  present  its  congratulations  to  the  heir  to 
the  throne  and  to  his  consort — and  to  show  the  smart 
frocks  it  had  ordered  for  the  occasion. 

This  caused  the  mourning  for  poor  Prince  Charles 
to  be  curtailed  as  much  as  possible,  and  his  funeral 

101 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

was  hastened  with  almost  unseemly  speed.  Even  the 
horses  that  dragged  his  coffin  to  Potsdam,  where  he 
was  buried,  appeared  to  share  the  general  desire  to  get 
the  thing  over  as  quickly  as  possible. 

I  remember  having  dined  on  the  evening  he  was 
taken  away  from  Berlin  at  the  house  of  friends  living  at 
the  corner  of  the  Linden  and  Wilhelmstrasse.  As  we 
were  drinking  coffee  after  the  meal  a  servant  came 
to  tell  us  that  the  funeral  procession  of  the  Prince 
was  passing  under  the  windows.  We  went  to  have  a 
look  at  it,  and  nothing  could  be  sadder  than  the  sight 
of  that  coffin,  carried  away  by  horses  at  full  speed, 
surrounded  by  valets  carrying  lighted  tapers,  and 
escorted  only  by  a  feeble  detachment  of  troops,  with- 
out one  single  friend  or  relation  accompanying  it. 

Prince  and  Princess  Charles's  only  child  was 
the  famous  Red  Prince,  Frederick  Charles,  who  dis- 
tinguished himself  at  Metz  and  on  many  other  battle- 
fields. He  had  never  succeeded  in  making  himself 
liked  by  anyone,  being  possessed  of  abrupt  and  even 
brutal  manners  ;  but  he  was  a  clever  man — clever 
enough  never  to  allow  anyone  to  guess  that  he  had 
brains.  One  did  not  meet  him  often  in  society,  and 
whenever  he  put  in  an  appearance  at  some  official 
reception  it  was  always  under  protest,  as  he  cared  for 
no  company  other  than  that  of  a  few  officers  whose 
tastes  for  hunting,  shooting,  and  drinking  harmonised 
with  his  own. 

Prince  Frederick  Charles  had  never  been  able  to 
get  on  with  his  wife,  a  Princess  of  Anhalt  Dessau. 
Yet  the  Princess  was  one  of  the  loveliest  women  of  her 
generation,   and    possessed   a  remarkable   talent    both 

102 


Relatives  of  the  Emperor 

for  music  and  for  painting.  She  had  a  great  affection 
for  young  girls,  and  used  to  advise  them  with  the 
greatest  sohcitude  when  first  they  entered  society,  as 
I  had  the  opportunity  to  experience  personally.  I 
shall  always  remain  grateful  to  her  for  the  indulgence 
and  sympathy  with  which  she  honoured  me,  and  shall 
never  forget  her  good  advice  to  me  on  more  than 
one  occasion. 

Unfortunately  she  was  almost  completely  deaf,  which 
caused  her  to  show  extreme  timidity  and  embarrass- 
ment whenever  she  found  herself  in  company;  but 
when  she  was  alone  with  you,  and  not  disturbed  by 
the  noise  of  many  conversations  around  her,  she  be- 
came quite  charming,  and  really  witty. 

She  had  had  one  son  and  three  daughters,  the  two 
eldest  of  whom  were  extremely  pretty.  They  both 
died  when  still  quite  young.  The  eldest,  Princess  Mary, 
who  had  been  married  to  old  Prince  Henry  of  the 
Netherlands,  was  united  after  his  death  to  Prince 
Albert  of  Saxe-Altenburg,  and  succumbed  in  child- 
birth two  years  later;  whilst  the  Princess  Elizabeth, 
the  wife  of  the  Hereditary  Grand  Duke  of  Oldenburg, 
was  also  carried  away  after  a  short  illness,  at  the  flower 
of  her  age,  leaving  an  only  child,  a  girl,  the  Princess 
Sophy  Charlotte,  who  is  the  wife  of  the  second  son  of 
the  Emperor  William.  The  only  surviving  daughter 
of  the  Princess  Frederick  Charles  of  Prussia  is  the 
present  Duchess  of  Connaught. 

The  second  brother  of  the  Emperor  William,  Prince 
Albert  of  Prussia,  died  before  I  reached  Berlin.  He 
had  married  the  Princess  Marianne  of  the  Nether- 
lands,   from    whom   he   had    obtained   a   divorce,    and 

103 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

had  afterwards  married  a  lady  not  belonging  to  any 
royal  or  princely  house — Mdlle.  de  Ranch,  who  later 
on  received  the  title  of  Countess  Hohenau.  The  two 
sons  to  whom  she  gave  birth  were  at  one  time  very 
popular  in  Berlin  society.  The  eldest  was  the  victim 
of  a  sad  scandal,  which  is  not  yet  forgotten,  and  in 
which  perished  his  honour  as  well  as  his  reputation. 

By  his  first  wife  Prince  Albert  had  a  son,  who  for 
a  good  many  years  prior  to  his  death  was  Regent  of 
the  Duchy  of  Brunswick,  and  who  used  to  come  very 
often  to  Berlin.  He  was  a  very  handsome  man,  and 
that  is  about  all  that  I  can  say  concerning  him.  The 
only  daughter  of  Prince  Albert  married  a  Duke  of 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin,  but  their  union  proved  most 
unhappy. 

When  I  knew  her,  the  Princess  Alexandrina  was 
already  separated  from  her  husband,  and  was  residing 
alone  in  the  castle  of  Bellevue  in  the  Thiergarten, 
where  the  Emperor  had  put  an  apartment  at  her 
disposal.  She  was  seen  but  seldom  in  society,  and 
lived  a  solitary  existence,  devoting  her  life  entirely 
to  the  education  of  her  only  child,  the  Princess  Char- 
lotte, who  was  later  to  marry  one  of  the  handsomest 
men  in  Berlin,  Prince  Henry  XVIII.  of  Reuss. 

There  were  also  in  Berlin  at  the  time  two  old  cousins 
of  the  Emperor,  Prince  George  and  Prince  Alexander 
of  Prussia.  The  former  was  a  misanthrope,  with  just  a 
shade  of  eccentricity  ;  one  rarely  met  him  anywhere. 
The  latter,  on  the  contrary,  though  none  too  intelli- 
gent, was  extremely  fond  of  society,  feminine  society 
in  particular.  I  remember  that  one  day,  at  my  mother- 
in-law's  house,   he  managed  to  decoy  into  an  empty 

104 


Prince  August  of  Wurtemberg 

room  a  certain  Madame  von  Wildenbruch,  the  wife  of 
an  illegitimate  son  of  Prince  Louis  Ferdinand  of 
Prussia,  and  began  kissing  her  with  fervour,  to  the 
extreme  stupefaction  and  anger  of  the  lady  in  question, 
who,  it  must  be  added,  was  at  that  time  nearly  seventy 
years  of  age. 

Another  personage  in  Berlin  at  this  time  deserving 
of  mention  was  Prince  August  of  Wurtemberg,  the 
brother  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Helen  of  Russia. 
He  was  in  command  of  the  Imperial  Guards,  and 
treated  by  the  Royal  Family  with  great  respect. 
Physically,  he  reminded  one  of  the  Emperor,  whilst 
the  manners  and  conversation  of  the  two  men  bore  a 
close  resemblance.  Everybody  liked  Prince  August, 
and  his  amiability  was  quite  proverbial. 

Then  there  was  Prince  Frederick  of  HohenzoUern, 
the  youngest  brother  of  the  late  King  of  Roumania, 
who  after  having  led  for  a  considerable  number  of  years 
the  life  of  a  very  gay  bachelor,  had  at  last  married  the 
charming  Princess  Louise  of  Thurn  and  Taxis,  the  niece 
of  the  Empress  Elisabeth  of  Austria. 

When  this  marriage  took  place  the  Empress  Augusta 
for  once  showed  herself  prudent,  and,  not  wishing  the 
Princess  to  move  in  the  society  in  which  Prince 
Frederick  mixed,  announced  that  she  should  take 
status  as  a  Prussian  Princess,  and  return  the  calls 
only  of  those  ladies  of  Berlin  society  whose  rank  gave 
them  the  right  to  this  distinction. 

The  indignation  of  the  others,  who  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  treat  the  Prince  of  HohenzoUern  just  as  any 
other  person,  knew  no  bounds,  and  a  strong  current  of 
hostility  established  itself  against  the  Princess  Louise. 

105 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

She,  however,  was  charming,  pretty,  gracious,  and 
kind,  and  was  careful  not  to  show  how  embittered  her 
life  had  become.  She  withdrew  from  society  more 
than  was  necessary,  and  tried  to  efface  herself  as 
much  as  possible.  I  have  often  pitied  her,  because 
I  liked  her  very  much,  used  to  see  her  frequently, 
and  admired  her  enormously. 

She  was  one  of  the  most  sympathetic  women  it  has 
ever  been  my  fortune  to  meet,  very  intelligent,  and 
most  kind-hearted,  able  also  to  bear  with  dignity 
misfortunes  that  must  have  weighed  heavily  on  her 
mind.  She  is  a  widow  now,  and  lives  in  Munich. 
But  she  left  Berlin  during  her  husband's  lifetime, 
for  Prince  Frederick  having  had  a  serious  quarrel— I 
forget  the  circumstances —with  the  present  Emperor, 
resigned  his  military  command,  and  fixed  his  residence 
in  Bavaria. 

During  the  fourteen  years  which  I  spent  in  Berlin 
I  saw  all  the  children  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess, 
who  were  more  or  less  in  the  nursery  when  I  first 
knew  them,  grow  to  maturity.  The  Princess 
Charlotte  was  married  at  sixteen  to  Prince  Bernard 
of  Saxe-Meiningen,  and  soon  became  one  of  the 
loveliest  and  most  elegant  women  in  the  capital.  Prince 
Henry  became  a  sailor,  and  was  not  often  seen  at 
Court,  but  his  eldest  brother,  the  present  German 
Emperor,  was  beginning  already  to  be  known  when  I 
left  Berlin,  and  to  have  both  friends  and  enemies  in 
society. 

I  have  never  met  William  II.  since  his  accession  to 
the  throne,  but  I  have  kept  a  very  bright  remembrance 
of  his  personality,  such  as  it  appeared  at  the  period 

106 


Grand  Duchess  Louise  of  Baden 

about  which  I  am  writing.  It  was  even  then  impos- 
sible not  to  be  struck  by  his  remarkable  intelligence. 
And  in  addition,  he  was  a  most  attractive  man,  and 
possessed  the  great  gift — one  of  the  most  precious 
that  Nature  can  bestow — of  personal  magnetism. 
Despite  the  gravity  and  seriousness  which  he  affected, 
there  was  in  him  an  impetuosity  which  was  most 
difficult  to  resist.  In  spite  of  the  buoyancy  of  his 
youth  his  judgments  showed  a  remarkable  maturity. 
He  had  no  illusions,  nor  was  there  any  cynicism  at  this 
time,  at  any  rate,  in  his  nature. 

Prince  William  was  very  fond  of  society  and  of  all 
the  enjoyments  which  it  offered ;  but  it  must  be 
noticed  here  that  from  the  moment  he  ascended  the 
throne  his  conduct  became  irreproachable. 

The  Princess  spent  the  first  years  of  her  marriage 
in  an  almost  constant  state  of  delicate  health.  But 
she  had  the  good  sense  never  to  lend  an  ear  to  all  the 
gossip  that  went  about  town  concerning  the  Prince. 
She  was  very  happy  in  her  home,  and  content  to  live 
on  affectionate  terms  with  her  husband.  Later  on, 
when  the  Princess  William  became  Empress,  she  con- 
tinued to  show  the  tact  which  was,  and  indeed  is,  one 
of  her  foremost  qualities. 

Apart  from  the  members  of  the  Royal  Family,  one 
could  meet  in  Berlin  on  certain  occasions  most  of  the 
German  Sovereigns  and  members  of  German  reigning 
houses.  The  Grand  Duchess  Louise  of  Baden,  the 
daughter  of  William  L,  spent  many  weeks  there  every 
year,  living  in  the  Imperial  palace,  and  hardly  ever 
leaving  her  father,  who  cherished  her  with  a  particular 
tenderness.     She  was  a  truly  charming  princess,   and 

107 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

her  presence  always  brought  Hfe  and  merriment  into  the 
serious  and  morose  Court  circle.  She  smoothed  down, 
thanks  to  her  perfect  tact,  the  differences  which,  alas  ! 
arose  but  too  frequently  between  the  Emperor  and  the 
Empress,  and  she  knew  how  to  manage  the  extreme 
nervousness  and  irritability  of  her  mother. 

The  Dowager  Grand  Duchess  of  Mecklenburg- 
Schwerin,  the  sister  of  William  I.,  also  visited  her 
brother  two  or  three  times  a  year.  She  had  kept, 
notwithstanding  her  advanced  age,  traces  of  her  former 
great  beauty,  and  it  was  related  that  she  bore  a  great 
likeness  to  her  eldest  sister,  the  Empress  Charlotte  of 
Russia,  the  consort  of  Nicolas  I. 

The  Grand  Duke  of  Saxe- Weimar  also  came  to  see 
his  sisters  from  time  to  time.  He  was  without  excep- 
tion one  of  the  dullest  people  I  have  ever  met,  and  he 
was  the  terror  of  all  those  with  whom  he  engaged  in 
conversation.  I  remember  that  one  day  when  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  later  King  Edward  VII.,  was  in  Berlin, 
accompanied  by  his  eldest  son,  the  late  Duke  of 
Clarence,  I  happened  to  be  sitting  next  to  the  young 
Prince  during  supper  at  a  party  given  by  Count  Rado- 
linski,  now  Prince  Radolin.  Opposite  to  us  sat  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Weimar,  who  kept  talking  with  his 
immediate  neighbour  and  making  such  senseless  re- 
marks that  at  last  we  burst  out  into  fits  of  uncon- 
trollable laughter,  which  got  still  worse  when  the  object 
of  our  merriment  asked  us  what  had  given  rise  to  it. 

The  Duke  of  Clarence  gravely  turned  towards  me 
and  said  quite  loudly,  "  His  Royal  Highness  the  Grand 
Duke  of  Weimar  would  like  to  know  why  we  are 
laughing  so  much." 

108 


Loyalty  of  the  Radziwills 

Happily  for  me  the  Crown  Princess,  who  sat  at 
a  table  next  to  ours,  got  up  at  that  moment,  and  I 
was  able  to  avoid  making  a  reply.  But  I  have  never 
been  able  to  forget  that  evening  when,  with  all  the 
carelessness  of  my  twenty  years,  I  made  fun  in  his 
very  presence  of  such  an  august  personage  as  the 
brother  of  the  Empress  Augusta. 

The  latter,  had  she  only  known  it,  would  never 
have  forgiven  me,  and  still  less  the  Radziwill  family, 
for  whom  every  member  of  a  royal  house  was  almost 
a  god. 


109 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE   ENTOURAGE    OF   THE    SOVEREIGNS 

THE  Emperor  William  and  the  Empress  liked  to 
surround  themselves  with  their  friends  and  to 
see  them  constantly.  This  small  circle,  which  was 
most  exclusive,  assembled  nearly  every  day,  and  at 
these  meetings  Augusta  found  it  possible  to  satisfy 
that  love  for  gossip  which  never  left  her. 

The  Imperial  Court  was  very  numerous,  but  its 
most  important  functionaries,  though  always  treated 
with  great  honour,  seldom  saw  the  Sovereigns  except 
on  official  occasions.  The  Emperor  had  six  aides-de- 
camp, each  of  whom  were  on  duty  two  days  in 
succession.  He  kept  them  in  attendance  on  him  as 
long  as  possible,  for  he  hated  changes,  especially 
towards  the  end  of  his  life. 

Two  great  favourites.  Prince  Anthony  Radziwill  and 
Count  Lehndorff,  kept  their  posts  of  aides-de-camp 
until  the  demise  of  the  Emperor,  though  they  were 
already  old  generals,  who  ought  to  have  retired  from 
their  military  life  long  before.  Then  there  was  also 
old  Count  Goltz,  a  charming  man,  amiable  and  atten- 
tive towards  ladies,  whose  character  was  a  model  of 
straightforwardness.  He  was  deeply  attached  to 
William  I.,  who  always  treated  him  as  one  of  his  best 

friends. 

110 


Ladies  Near  the  Throne 

The  Empress  had  two  ladies-in-waiting — dames  du 
palais,  as  they  were  called  :  the  Countess  Adelaide 
Hacke  and  the  Countess  Louise  Oriolla.  The  Empress 
was  very  fond  of  the  former,  but  could  barely  tolerate 
the  latter,  who,  according  to  the  scandalous  chronicle 
of  Berlin,  had  been  honoured  with  the  affections  of 
the  old  King.  The  Countess  Hacke  was  deformed, 
but  possessed  all  the  wit  which  is  generally  attri- 
buted to  those  whom  Nature  has  disfigured.  She 
hardly  ever  left  her  Imperial  mistress,  and  was  sup- 
posed to  have  a  considerable  influence  over  her.  Many 
people  hated  her ;  but  I  personally  never  had  any 
ground  for  disliking  her  ;  and  I  know,  through  several 
people  —  among  them  one  of  my  greatest  friends. 
Count  de  St.  Vallier,  who  was  on  very  good  terms 
with  her — that  she  was  capable  of  doing  an  infinity  of 
good,  and  that  she  was  very  loyal  to  those  she  liked. 

The  Countess  Oriolla,  when  I  first  met  her,  was  a 
complete  physical  wreck.  It  was  impossible  to  find  the 
slightest  signs  of  the  beauty  for  which  she  had  been 
famous  in  her  youth  and  which  had  won  her  so  many 
admirers  in  the  past.  But  she  was  very  distinguished 
in  her  manners,  and  her  bearing  was  that  of  the  very 
great  lady  she  had  been  born  and  had  remained.  She 
held  a  prominent  position  in  Berlin,  which  no  one 
attempted  to  dispute.  The  Emperor  was  always  most 
attentive  to  her,  and  when  he  was  alone  in  the  capital 
during  the  absences  of  the  Empress  at  Baden  or 
Coblenz,  he  used  to  spend  his  evenings  with  her. 

The  Countess  went  a  great  deal  into  society,  and 
she  was  the  soul  of  a  little  circle  which  generally  met 
together   in   the   house   of  the   old   Princess   Biron   of 

111 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Curland,  a  Russian  by  birth,  who  had  the  manners  of 
an  eighteenth  century  sovereign,  and  who  for  more 
than  half  a  century  exercised  a  regal  sway  over  Berlin 
society — a  power  of  which  no  one  attempted  to 
deprive  her. 

Besides  her  two  ladies-in-waiting  the  Empress  had 
a  mistress  of  the  robes,  two  or  three  maids  of  honour, 
a  master  of  the  household  (specially  attached  to  her 
person),  and  a  secretary.  The  mistress  of  the  robes 
was  the  Countess  Perponcher,  an  excellent  and  most 
worthy  person,  kind  and  amiable — a  model  of  what  a 
great  lady  ought  to  be.  One  could  not  help  liking 
her,  despite  the  frequent  receptions  which  she  used 
to  give,  which  were  considered,  not  without  reason, 
to  be  appallingly  dull. 

The  maids  of  honour  were  changed  sometimes, 
either  when  they  married  or  when  they  could  no  longer 
bear  the  extreme  fatigue  which  their  position  entailed 
upon  them.  The  one  who  remained  the  longest  time 
at  this  post  was  the  Countess  Alexandra  von  Branden- 
burg, who  was  related  to  the  Prussian  Royal  Family, 
and  who  was  greatly  respected  by  the  Emperor,  as  well 
as  the  Empress.  Her  two  brothers  were  also  for  a  good 
many  years  attached  to  the  person  of  William  I. 

Count  Nesselrode  was  at  the  head  of  the  household 
of  the  Empress.  He  was  an  insignificant  little  man 
whose  chief  qualities  were  his  honesty,  his  gentleman- 
liness,  and  his  devotion  to  the  person  of  his  sovereign 
lady.  He  was  also  a  perfect  man  of  the  world,  and, 
so  far  as  I  know,  never  aspired  to  become  anything 
else. 

As   for   the   secretary.    Baron   von    Knesebeck,    he 

112 


A  Charming  Duke 

constituted  a  great  exception  among  the  not  over- 
refined  society  of  the  Prussian  capital.  He  was  a  witty 
httle  man,  full  of  fun,  and  with  a  real  taste  for  art, 
literature,  and  music.  He  knew  everybody,  and  every- 
thing that  was  going  on  in  society,  but  never  indulged 
in  gossip.  He  became  the  secretary  to  the  present 
Empress  after  the  death  of  Augusta,  and  remained  in 
that  position  until  his  death. 

This  small  circle  of  privileged  people,  who  consti- 
tuted the  intimate  friends  of  the  Empress,  used  gener- 
ally to  meet  at  the  Palace  in  the  evening,  at  the  very 
small  reception  of  the  "  Tabatiere  "  or  "  Bonbonniere  " 
which  I  have  already  described. 

When  the  Duke  and  the  Duchess  de  Sagan  were 
in  Berlin  they  were  invited  almost  daily.  The  Duke 
was  the  son  of  the  celebrated  Duchess  de  Dino,  whose 
frailties  have  become  legendary.  He  was  a  charm- 
ing, amiable  little  old  man,  always  well  shaved  and 
well  dressed,  with  a  flower  in  his  buttonhole  and  the 
manners  of  a  great  nobleman,  not  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  but  of  the  French  Restoration.  He  was  a 
delightful  companion,  an  accomplished  man  of  the 
world,  who  only  lived  for  the  world  and  for  his  position 
at  Court,  which  was,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  only  place 
where  he  found  himself  in  his  right  element. 

It  was  a  necessity  of  his  existence  to  pay  calls,  to 
spend  his  time  going  from  one  drawing-room  to  another, 
and  to  flit  here  and  there,  leaving  behind  him  the  re- 
membrance of  the  pretty,  soft  phrases  he  had  uttered, 
and  a  faint  perfume  of  ijoudre  a  la  marechale.  His 
conversation  was  just  as  entertaining  as  it  was  super- 
ficial, and  one  was  always  glad  to  spend  an  hour  in 

I  113 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

his  company,  if  only  on  account  of  the  certainty  one 
had  that  he  would  never  say  anything  ill-natured. 
When  he  died  at  a  very  advanced  age  a  whole  epoch 
disappeared  with  him,  and  even  those  who  scarcely 
knew  him  regretted  him,  because  he  was  the  last  repre- 
sentative of  a  type  that  will  never  be  met  with  again. 

The  Duke  de  Sagan  was  married  to  the  Countess 
Pauline  Hatzfeld,  the  daughter  of  Marshal  de  Cas- 
tellane  and  the  sister  of  the  too  famous  Countess  de 
Beaulaincourt,  whose  adventures  have  furnished  such 
abundant  food  for  criticism  to  all  the  historians  of  the 
Third  Empire.  Madame  de  Sagan  was  very  different 
from  her  husband  and  as  clever  as  the  Duke  was  in- 
significant. She  had  sharp  manners  and  a  still  sharper 
tongue,  but  her  conversation  was  sparkling  with  wit, 
and  her  remarks  as  amusing  as  they  were  cutting. 
She  was  sometimes  ill-natured,  but  so  seldom  that  one 
could  easily  forgive  her,  especially  as  she  expressed 
her  opinions  and  judgments  so  funnily  that  no  one 
could  get  angry  at  them.  She  was  a  great  sports- 
woman, and  was  never  so  happy  as  when  she  was 
walking,  gun  in  hand,  in  the  woods  that  surrounded 
her  princely  domain  of  Sagan. 

In  addition  to  the  Duke  and  Duchess  de  Sagan  one 
often  saw  at  the  small  receptions  of  the  Empress, 
Count  William  Pourtales,  whose  son  became  German 
Ambassador  at  St.  Petersburg.  He  was  an  ex-Lovelace, 
and  had  a  very  shrewd  and  observant  mind,  and 
generally  succeeded,  therefore,  in  bringing  some  anima- 
tion into  even  these  most  dull  parties. 

Among  others  who  attended  these  intimate  gather- 
ings were  Field-Marshal  Count  Moltke,  that  great  and 

114 


Empress  Augusta's  Receptions 

mute  genius  ;  Count  and  Countess  Rcdern,  the  latter 
a  Princess  Odescalchi  by  birth,  and  a  charming  old 
lady  ;  and  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  Radziwill 
family,  who  enjoyed  quite  a  privileged  position  at 
Court  so  long  as  William  I.  lived  and  reigned.  One 
also  saw  sometimes  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Ratibor, 
both  of  whom  now  are  dead  ;  and  the  Hohenlohes, 
whenever  a  member  of  that  family  was  in  Berlin. 

Prince  Bismarck  never  appeared  at  these  recep- 
tions, nor  did  the  people  who  were  on  good  terms 
with  him,  because  the  Empress  was  at  daggers  drawn, 
not  only  with  the  Chancellor  personally,  but  also 
with  all  those  who  prided  themselves  upon  being 
considered  his  friends.  There  were  seldom  any  other 
people  than  those  whose  names  I  have  mentioned  at 
these  small  receptions  which  Augusta  used  to  hold 
almost  daily  in  her  palace.  She  enjoyed  their  society, 
and  felt  at  her  ease  among  them,  knowing  that  she 
could,  in  their  presence  allow  herself  a  freedom  in  her 
conversations  which  would  have  been  impossible  before 
persons  on  whose  discretion  she  could  not  have  relied. 


115 


CHAPTER  X 

COURT   FESTIVITIES    IN    BERLIN 

SEVERAL  important  social  events  took  place  in 
Berlin  during  the  thirteen  years  I  lived  there. 
And  as  time  went  on,  and  the  Empire  became  less 
aggressive,  court  ceremonies  became  more  and  more 
imposing. 

The  birthdays  of  the  Emperor,  which  were  at  first 
celebrated  by  small  family  parties,  grew  to  be  con- 
sidered as  national  festivals,  and  the  other  German 
sovereigns  and  members  of  the  Royal  and  princely 
houses  made  a  point  of  coming  personally  to  Berlin 
to  present  their  good  wishes  to  the  aged  Emperor. 
The  Empress  Augusta,  who  was  never  happier  than 
when  arranging  State  functions,  succeeded  in  persuad- 
ing her  Consort  that  the  evening  party,  which  was 
generally  given  on  his  birthday  in  the  private  palace 
which  he  had  built  for  himself  as  Prince  of  Prussia, 
had  better  take  place  in  the  old  castle.  William  I. 
allowed  the  Empress  to  do  what  she  liked,  though  I 
think  that  he  regretted  the  old  times  when  he  was 
comparatively  free  from  pomp  and  show. 

It  was  in  the  old  castle,  too,  that  were  solemnised 
the  first  Royal  marriages  at  which  I  was  ever  present  : 
that  of  the  Princess  Charlotte,  eldest  daughter  of  the 
Crown  Prince  and  Princess,  with  the  hereditary  Prince 

116 


More  Royal  Weddings 

of  Saxe-Meiningen,  and  of  the  Princess  Elizabeth  of 
Prussia,  second  daughter  of  Prince  and  Princess 
Frederick  Charles,  with  the  heir  to  the  Duchy  of 
Oldenburg.  These  two  weddings,  which  took  place 
on  the  same  day,  had  given  rise  to  much  talk  and 
gossip,  and  society  had  been  wondering  whether  the 
old  etiquette  usually  observed  on  such  occasions  would 
be  followed. 

In  order  to  explain  this  excitement,  I  must  mention 
that  one  of  the  features  in  Prussian  Royal  marriages 
was  always  a  kind  of  polonaise  danced  after  the 
religious  ceremony  by  the  bride  and  bridegroom  with 
every  single  member  of  their  family,  and  with  the 
guests  of  high  standing,  and  during  which  all  the 
Ministers  walked  before  them,  each  carrying  a  lighted 
taper  in  his  hand.  The  great  question  was  whether 
Prince  Bismarck  would  consent  to  lend  himself  to  the 
old  custom,  and  to  perform  this  duty  of  his  office. 
But  the  Chancellor  had  any  amount  of  excuses  at  his 
disposal,  and  a  few  days  before  the  one  appointed  for 
the  double  ceremony  the  papers  announced  that  owing 
to  a  severe  attack  of  neuralgia  he  had  left  Berlin  for 
Friedriehsruhe  on  a  short  leave. 

These  marriages  were  the  first  celebrated  since  the 
kingdom  of  Frederick  the  Great  had  been  transformed 
into  an  Empire,  and  brought  an  enormous  number  of 
guests  to  Berlin.  First  and  foremost  among  them 
were  the  King  and  Queen  of  the  Belgians,  who — for 
a  \vonder,  as  they  were  not  much  given  to  going  about 
together — arrived  by  the  same  train,  and  conde- 
scended for  once  to  play  the  part  of  Darby  and  Joan. 
The    Queen,  an   Austrian   Archduchess,   had    acquired 

117 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

the  reputation  of  being  an  eccentric  woman,  caring 
more  for  her  horses  and  dogs  than  for  her  family. 
However,  on  this  occasion  she  evidently  desired  to 
prove  herself  pleasant,  because  anyone  more  gracious 
than  she  was  would  have  been  difficult  to  find.  She 
allowed  all  the  principal  ladies  of  the  society  of  Berlin 
to  be  introduced  to  her,  and  the  Empress  took  upon 
herself  the  task  of  walking  round  the  room  with  her 
and  drawing  her  attention  to  the  people  she  wanted 
her  to  notice.  The  King  looked  intensely  bored,  and 
it  was  easy  to  see  that  he  wished  himself  anywhere  but 
where  he  was.  So  far  as  I  can  remember,  this  was  the 
solitary  occasion  when  the  Belgian  sovereigns  ever  paid 
a  visit  to  the  German  Court. 

The  Prince  of  Wales,  of  course,  arrived  for  his  niece's 
wedding,  and  many  of  the  German  princes  and  princesses 
were  present,   not  excepting  the  Weimar  family. 

I  have  spoken  already  of  the  Grand  Duke.  As 
for  the  Grand  Duchess,  she  was  very  different  from 
her  husband,  and,  though  extremely  ugly,  was  a  most 
imposing  Princess.  She  was  clever,  too,  and  upheld  the 
reputation  of  the  Weimar  family.  She  was  a  Princess 
of  the  Netherlands  by  birth,  a  daughter  of  that  Queen 
Anna  Pavlovna  who  was  considered  to  have  been  the 
cleverest  among  all  the  clever  daughters  of  the  Emperor 
Paul  of  Russia;  and  she  kept  and  maintained  at  her 
court  the  traditions  in  which  she  had  been  reared. 
Notwithstanding  her  want  of  beauty,  moreover,  she 
presented  a  splendid  figure,  being  always  magnificently 
dressed  and  covered  with  wonderful  jewels,  among  which 
shone  a  parurc  of  rubies  and  diamonds  that  were  sup- 
posed to  be  the  finest  of  their  kind  in  Europe. 

118 


The  Mecklenburgs 

The  Mecklenburg  family  also  mustered  in  full 
force  for  these  weddings.  The  Dowager  Grand  Duchess 
Alexandrine  was  always  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  visit 
Berlin  and  her  brother  the  Emperor;  she  looked  upon 
these  sojourns  in  the  German  capital  as  her  holidays. 
With  her  came  her  son,  the  Grand  Duke,  and  his 
children,  and  the  Mccklenburg-Strclitzes,  and  many 
minor  German  Princes,  eager  to  be  present  at  what 
was  considered  the  most  important  gathering  of 
crowned  heads  that  had  taken  place  for  a  long  time. 
The  Empress  Augusta  felt  in  her  element,  and  none 
was  more  glad  than  she  to  be  able  to  entertain  so 
many  illustrious  guests. 

The  wedding  took  place  at  the  uncommonly  incon- 
venient time  of  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
company  assembled  a  good  half-hour  earlier  in  the 
chapel  of  the  old  castle,  where  it  was  difficult 
to  find  places.  After  a  considerable  wait  the  pro- 
cession, heralded  by  chamberlains  and  masters  of  the 
ceremonies  in  their  gold-laced  uniforms,  appeared  in 
sight.  The  two  bridal  couples  led  it  hand  in  hand, 
the  Prince  of  Meiningen  with  Princess  Charlotte,  pre- 
ceding the  heir  to  the  Oldenburg  Duchy  with  the 
Princess  Elizabeth.  The  latter  looked  quite  lovely, 
and  the  diamond  crown  that  each  Princess  of  Prussia 
wears  on  her  wedding  day  suited  her  dark  and  exquisite 
beauty  to  perfection. 

The  Princess  Charlotte  did  not  show  to  such  advan- 
tage. Small  of  stature,  and  rather  plump,  she  had 
not  yet  reached  her  womanly  development,  and  looked 
more  like  a  child  than  a  bride- — she  was  scarcely 
seventeen.     Her  dress  was  too  heavy  for  her,  and  she 

119 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

had  too  much  orange  blossom  and  more  ornaments 
than  suited  her.  Moreover,  her  eyes  were  red  and 
her  cheeks  flushed.  It  would  have  been  difficult  then 
to  imagine  she  would  ever  be  the  beautiful  woman 
she  became  later. 

Immediately  behind  the  two  bridal  pairs  walked 
the  Emperor,  with  the  Queen  of  the  Belgians  on  his 
arm,  and  the  Empress  leaning  on  that  of  King  Leopold. 
The  other  Princes  and  Princesses  followed,  and  all 
eyes  turned  on  the  Crown  Princess  when  she  appeared, 
together  with  the  Duke  of  Saxe-Meiningen,  in  a  court 
train  bordered  with  ermine,  and  exquisite  diamonds 
adorning  her  head  and  neck.  She  looked  almost  more 
agitated  than  her  daughter,  but  kept  bowing  gracefully 
to  her  friends  as  she  saw  them  curtseying  to  her  as 
she  passed. 

The  ceremony  in  itself  was  an  exceedingly  brief 
one,  and,  indeed,  would  only  have  lasted  a  few 
minutes  had  not  the  Court  Chaplain,  Superintendent 
Kogel,  thought  it  necessary  to  deliver  an  address  to 
which  no  one  listened.  When  he  had  finished  the 
rings  were  exchanged,  and  guns  fired  to  announce 
the  event  to  the  people  gathered  outside  in  front  of 
the  Palace.  The  Imperial  and  Royal  personages  then 
moved  to  the  White  Hall,  where  great  court  receptions 
were  generally  held,  and  took  up  their  places  under 
the  dais,  whilst  in  quick  succession  all  the  people 
invited  to  witness  the  ceremony  filed  past  them, 
making  a  low  obeisance  to  the  newly  married  couples 
and  to  the  Emperor  and  Empress.  It  was  a  splendid 
sight,  and  the  trains  and  diamonds  and  precious  stones 
of  the  ladies  were  truly  wonderful. 

120 


A  Quaint  Ceremony 

The  company  then  passed  to  the  supper  rooms, 
where  a  sumptuous  meal  was  served,  during  which 
the  old  Emperor  himself  was  the  first  to  raise  his 
glass  in  honour  of  his  granddaughter  and  his  niece, 
to  whom  he  wished  long  life  and  happiness  in  a 
few  well-chosen  words.  Then  the  most  interesting 
part  of  the  ceremony  began.  The  brides  and  bride- 
grooms returned  to  the  White  Hall,  where  the  general 
company  had  preceded  them,  taking  their  places  oppo- 
site the  dais,  and  leaving  between  it  and  themselves 
a  large,  open  space  which  masters  of  the  ceremonies 
kept  free.  Then  each  bride  came  in  turn  and,  curtsey- 
ing low  before  the  Emperor,  made  one  tour  of  the 
room  with  him,  and  later  on  with  each  Royal  prince 
present,  whilst  their  husbands  did  the  same  with  the 
Empress,  the  Queen  of  the  Belgians,  and  the  other 
Princesses. 

This  quaint  ceremony  reminded  one  of  the  Middle 
Ages  in  its  solemnity.  First  and  foremost  walked 
pages  in  red  uniforms  and  powdered  wigs  ;  then  all 
the  members  of  the  Ministry,  each  carrying  a  large 
and  heavy  wax  candle,  or  rather  torch,  which,  it  must 
be  admitted,  they  held  most  awkwardly.  Then  came 
the  brides,  and  after  them  the  bridegrooms,  attended 
by  other  pages  ;  the  trains  of  the  ladies  were  carried 
by  small  boys  in  scarlet  coats  and  black  velvet  breeches. 
The  ceremony,  owing  to  the  great  number  of  Royal 
personages  present,  lasted  something  like  an  hour,  but 
was  followed  the  whole  time  with  lively  interest. 

A  very  clever  man,  of  whom  I  used  to  be  extremely 
fond,    Count    Kleist,    the    brother    of    Princess    Pless 
happened  to  be  standing  behind  me,  and  he  suddenly 

121 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

bent  down  to  my  ear,  saying  as  he  did  so,  "  The  only 
thing  which  I  regret  is  the  absence  of  Prince  Bis- 
marck. It  would  have  been  so  amusing  to  see  him 
with  a  torch  in  his  hand,  making  penance  for  his 
sins  !  " 

Many  festivities  followed  upon  that  evening,  in- 
cluding, among  other  things,  a  State  performance  at 
the  Opera,  as  well  as  a  large  ball,  after  which  the 
young  couples  left  Berlin,  and  the  guests  who  had 
gathered  there  dispersed,  more  or  less  satisfied  with 
all  that  they  had  seen  and  heard. 

The  next  Royal  marriage  was  that  of  the  eldest 
sister  of  the  Princess  Elizabeth  of  Prussia,  the  Princess 
Mary,  with  old  Prince  Henry  of  the  Netherlands. 
That  ceremony  took  place  at  Potsdam,  in  August, 
1878,  and  was  celebrated  under  far  simpler  circum- 
stances. The  old  Emperor  was  not  present,  being 
away  in  Teplitz,  where  he  was  slowly  recovering  from 
the  wounds  inflicted  upon  him  by  Nobiling.  The 
Empress  had  returned  to  Coblenz,  and  the  Crown 
Prince,  who  was  Regent,  represented  his  father,  to- 
gether with  the  Crown  Princess,  who  thus  found  her- 
self called  upon,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  to  appear 
in  the  quality  of  first  lady  in  the  land.  Tlie  King 
of  Holland,  who  was  not  yet  married  to  the  Princess 
Emma  of  Waldeck  and  Pyrmont,  came  over  for  the 
event,  and  everyone  made  a  great  fuss  of  him. 

As  for  the  bridegroom,  he  was  close  on  seventy, 
and  looked  so  weak  and  frail  that  one  could  not 
help  pitying  the  fair  young  princess  about  to  be 
married  to  him.  The  wedding  took  place  in  the  long 
gallery  of  the  New  Palace,  where  an  altar  had  been 

122 


Golden  Wedding  Celebrations 

erected  for  the  occasion.  It  was  followed  the  next 
day  by  a  theatrical  performance,  and  the  bride  and 
her  aged  husband  left  for  The  Hague  that  same 
evening. 

Three  months  later  the  Princess  was  a  widow,  and 
suffered  considerable  annoyances  from  the  King,  w^ho 
took  care  to  appropriate  to  himself  all  the  fortune  of 
his  brother,  Prince  Henry,  the  latter  having  died 
intestate.  In  consequence,  the  Princess  Mary  found 
herself  reduced  to  what  would  have  been  penury  had 
not  the  Queen  Regent  Emma  interfered  and  insisted 
on  a  decent  annuity  being  awarded  to  her  young 
sister-in-law. 

It  was,  so  far  as  I  can  remember,  at  this  wedding 
of  her  eldest  sister  that  the  Princess  Louise  Margaret 
of  Prussia,  youngest  daughter  of  Prince  and  Princess 
Frederick  Charles,  met  for  the  first  time  the  Duke  of 
Connaught,  whom  she  was  to  marry  a  few  months 
later  at  Windsor. 

The  next  grand  ceremony  that  I  saw  in  Berlin  was 
the  celebration  of  the  golden  wedding  of  the  Emperor 
and  Empress.  Unusual  solemnity  accompanied  it, 
partly  on  account  of  the  providential  escape  of 
WiUiam  I.  from  the  murderous  hand  of  the  assassin. 
The  old  sovereign  having  hardly  recovered  from  its 
effects  was  still  weak  and  frail ;  but  when  it  was  pro- 
posed to  curtail  part  of  the  arrangements  that  had 
been  planned  by  the  Empress  before  his  illness,  he 
would  not  hear  of  it,  but  insisted  that  the  whole  pro- 
gramme should  be  carried  out. 

It  was  again  an  occasion  for  all  the  crowned  heads 
of   Germany  to  assemble   in   Berlin,   and   deputations 

123 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

without  number  from  all  parts  of  the  Empire  parti- 
cipated. The  Universities,  which  had  until  then  stood 
more  or  less  in  opposition  to  the  government  of 
Prince  Bismarck,  waived  their  prejudices,  and  sent 
representatives  to  express  their  congratulations  to  the 
Emperor  and  to  his  Consort.  Never  have  I  seen  the 
old  Berlin  Castle  filled  with  a  more  motley  crowd  than 
on  that  occasion,  and  I  never  had  so  vivid  an  impres- 
sion of  the  fact  that  the  German  people  and  its  Emperor 
were  indeed  one  in  their  aspirations  and  in  celebrating 
the  triumphs  which  they  had  obtained  together. 

A  religious  service  opened  the  festivities,  cele- 
brated in  that  same  chapel  of  the  old  castle  which  has 
always  been  associated  with  all  the  important  events 
in  the  family  life  of  the  Hohenzollerns.  It  took  place 
at  midday,  and  the  Empress  Augusta  made  a  magni- 
ficent entry  into  the  small  church,  dressed  in  cloth  of 
gold,  and  with  the  big  diadem  of  brilliants  that  formed 
part  of  the  Crown  jewels.  She  looked  quite  splendid, 
and  bore  herself  uncommonly  well,  considering  the 
fact  that  her  health  had  already  begun  to  fail  her. 

I  shall  never  forget  that  day  for  a  personal  reason. 
Next  to  where  I  stood  was  Prince  Bismarck,  looking 
extremely  bored,  but  at  the  same  time  most  interested 
in  all  that  was  going  on  before  us.  We  began  to  talk, 
and  I  expressed  my  surprise  to  see  him  well  enough 
to  be  able  to  stand  the  fatigue  that  such  a  long 
ceremony  entailed.  He  smiled,  and  replied  that  there 
were  occasions  when  fatigue  ought  not  to  be  taken 
into  account.  While  the  voice  of  Superintendent  Kogel 
sounded  in  our  ears  as  he  waded  through  a  long, 
monotonous  address,  we  discussed  many  subjects,  and 

124 


Marriage  of  William  II. 

among  others  the  attitude  of  the  Empress  Augusta. 
"  What  a  triumph  for  her  is  this  day  !  "  exclaimed 
the  Chancellor.  "  And  how  happy  she  must  feel  to 
be  able  to  engross  everybody  with  attention  concern- 
ing her  own  person  !  " 

I  have  never  forgotten  the  words,  nor  the  accent 
in  which  they  were  delivered,  which  was  in  itself  a 
revelation.  Bismarck  indeed  did  not  like  the  Empress, 
and  he  was  too  brutally  frank  to  attempt  to  hide  it. 

Two  years  later  the  marriage  of  the  present  Emperor 
William  II.  took  place,  also  in  Berlin.  But  I  was  not 
in  the  capital  at  the  time,  so  can  relate  nothing  about 
it.  The  next  great  festivity  at  which  I  assisted  was 
the  silver  wedding  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess, 
in  honour  of  which  a  most  magnificent  pageant  was 
arranged.  It  consisted  in  a  reproduction — so  perfect 
that  it  is  remembered  to  this  day  by  those  who  wit- 
nessed it— of  the  Court  of  Queen  Elizabeth  of  England. 
Countess  Udo  Stolberg-Wernigerode,  whose  golden  hair 
and  most  stately  figure  reminded  one  of  the  pictures 
left  to  us  of  the  Virgin  Queen,  was  asked  to  imperson- 
ate her,  and  she  did  it  to  perfection,  appearing  quite 
regal  in  her  red  velvet  gown,  with  the  enormous  ruffle 
and  stomacher  worn  in  the  days  when  the  daughter 
of  King  Henry  VIII.  reigned  and  ruled  over  Merry 
England.  She  was  followed  by  a  whole  train  of 
courtiers  and  noble  dames,  amongst  whom  one  pair  at- 
tracted particular  attention  :  Prince  William  of  Prussia, 
with  Lady  Ampthill,  the  wife  of  the  English  Ambassador. 

The  cortege  filed  past  the  heroes  of  the  day,  and 
it  was  easy  to  see  that  the  Crown  Princess  was  posi- 
tively delighted.     She  appeared  radiant,  and  every  now 

125 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

and  then,  when  a  particularly  handsome  couple  at- 
tracted her  attention,  she  would  bend  toward  her 
husband  and  make  him  look  too.  When  the  Court  of 
Elizabeth  had  duly  paraded,  several  couples  entered  the 
room  and  danced  three  quadrilles  with  great  anima- 
tion ;  one  of  them  being  an  old  minuet  of  the  eight- 
eenth century  reminiscent  of  the  glories  of  Versailles. 
These  quadrilles  over,  a  large  sedan  chair  was  brought 
in,  out  of  which  came  a  fairy,  dressed  in  flowing  robes 
and  transparent  veil,  with  a  wand  in  her  hand.  Advanc- 
ing toward  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess,  she  wished 
them  every  possible  joy  and  happiness  from  all  those 
who  had  taken  part  in  the  festival.  The  fairy  was 
none  other  than  the  Princess  William  of  Prussia,  now 
German  Empress. 

The  silver  wedding  of  the  unfortunate  man  who 
was  to  occupy  for  so  short  a  time  the  throne  of  his 
fathers  was  the  last  great  ceremony  at  which  I  was 
present  in  Berlin.  The  two  or  three  seasons  that  I 
still  spent  there  were  not  marked  by  any  special  social 
events.  And  in  1887  we  went  to  Egypt,  making  a 
stay  of  nearly  a  year.  Then,  my  father  having  died, 
we  went  to  Russia,  where  for  family  reasons  we  were 
obliged  to  settle. 

At  that  time  the  Emperor  Frederick  had  already 
passed  away,  and  things  in  Berlin  had  undergone  a 
complete  transformation.  A  new  generation  had  grown 
up  and  changed  the  old  order  of  affairs,  under  which 
Prussia  had  attained  such  unexampled  prosperity.  A 
few  short  years  more,  and  both  Moltkc  and  Bismarck, 
together  with  the  Empress  Augusta  and  the  Empress 
Frederick,  were  no  more. 

126 


CHAPTER  XI 

SMART   SOCIETY   IN    BERLIN 

DURING  the  reign  of  William  I.  Berlin  society  was 
very  different  from  what  it  is  to-day.  Berlin 
still  bore  a  resemblance  to  a  German  Royal  city 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  Social  distinctions  were 
very  carefully  observed,  and  the  people  in  possession 
of  the  privilege  of  being  "  Hoffahig  " — i.e.  of  being 
admitted  at  Court — avoided  mixing  with  the  financial 
or  bourgeois  society. 

The  officers  formed  a  kind  of  caste,  veiy  jealous  of 
its  own  rights.  The  Silesian  or  Rhenish  aristocracy 
also  kept  aloof  from  other  people,  and  rarely  married 
outside  their  circle.  The  princely  families,  those  who 
enjoyed  the  title  of  Durchlaucht  or  Serene  Highness, 
enjoyed  special  privileges  ;  though  later,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  Empress  Augusta,  they  were  taken  away. 
These  privileges  consisted  in  the  right  to  precede  civil 
and  military  functionaries  of  the  Empire  at  all  court 
ceremonies,  to  present  personally  their  congratulations 
to  the  Emperor  on  his  birthday,  as  well  as  on  the  1st  of 
January,  and  to  stand  on  the  right  of  the  throne  during 
the  official  balls  which  were  given  at  the  old  Castle 
of  Berlin. 

The  Sovereigns  were  exceedingly  sociable,  and  liked 
to  honour  with  their  presence  the  receptions  given 
during  the  season  in  Berlin ;   one  saw  them  at  the  balls 

127 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

of  the  Count  of  Stolberg-Wernigerode,  of  Prince  Pless, 
of  the  Dukes  of  Ratibor  and  Ujest,  at  my  sister-in- 
law's,  and  at  the  different  foreign  Ambassadors  and 
Ministers.  I  cannot  say  that  the  presence  of  the 
Empress  Augusta  added  to  the  enjoyment  of  these 
occasions,  but  nevertheless  invitations  to  houses 
which  Augusta  visited  were  treasured,  because  it 
gave  one  an  established  status  in  the  society  of  the 
capital. 

Except  for  these  large  and  solemn  receptions  there 
were  not  many  parties  in  Berlin  at  that  time.  The 
elegance  which  reigns  there  now  was  as  yet  unknown. 
One  wore  high  gowns  for  dinner,  and  balls  as  well  as 
receptions  began  usually  at  eight  o'clock— very  rarely 
later.  On  the  other  hand,  members  of  each  social 
circle  used  to  see  a  great  deal  of  each  other,  but 
these  circles  were  very  exclusive  ;  one  never  met  any 
foreigners.  There  were  also  a  few  houses  which  were 
always  open  to  officers  of  the  Guards.  These  were 
cruelly  described  in  the  famous  book  called  "  La 
Societe  de  Berlin,"  which  created  such  a  sensation 
at  the  time  it  was  published,  but  as  I  never  frequented 
the  houses  referred  to  I  cannot  say  if  the  description 
was  true  or  not,  though  I  must  own  that  manners 
generally  were  very  loose  in  the  capital  of  William  I., 
where  there  was  nothing  between  great  dullness  and 
excessive  liberty  of  action  as  well  as  of  language,  and 
it  was  principally  for  this  reason  that  Berlin  was  not 
a  pleasant  place  to  live  in.  Small  talk,  such  as  enjoyed 
in  Paris,  London,  or  St.  Petersburg,  did  not  exist.  One 
was  not  often  asked  to  dine  out,  and  when  this  hap- 
pened  it   was   always   at   most  ceremonial   meals  and 

128 


Some  Princely  Families 

at  such  extraordinary  hours  that  these  invitations 
could  only  be  considered  as  a  kind  of  penance,  to  be 
undergone  with  the  best  grace  possible. 

I  have  mentioned  the  princely  families  which  formed 
a  special  circle  in  the  capital.  Among  them,  first  of 
all,  were  the  numerous  Princes  Hohenlohe,  all  of 
whom  were  the  objects  of  special  attention  from  the 
Royal  Family. 

Prince  Hohonlohe-Langenbourg,  the  head  of  the 
family,  was  married  to  a  Princess  of  Baden,  and  did 
not  often  make  an  appearance  in  Berlin.  They  did 
not  possess  a  house  in  the  capital,  and  could  not 
therefore  entertain.  He  was  considered  to  be  a  very 
clever  man,  whilst  his  wife  was  charming.  Unlike  so 
many  German  Princesses,  she  was  entirely  free  from 
haughtiness. 

Prince  Clovis — who  later  on  replaced  Bismarck  as 
Chancellor  of  the  Empire — generally  made  a  point  of 
spending  part  of  the  season  in  Berlin.  He  was  so  well 
known  and  is  so  very  well  remembered  that  I  need 
not  describe  him  in  detail.  He  presented  an  absolute 
contrast  to  his  great  predecessor,  both  in  manners 
and  in  his  turn  of  mind,  being  most  refined  and 
essentially  a  nobleman  of  ancient  lineage,  with  proud 
and  illustrious  ancestors.  His  wife,  who  was  called 
Macha  by  those  who  knew  her  well,  was  allied  through 
her  mother  to  the  Radziwill  family,  and  I  used  to 
see  her  often.  She  was  a  very  great  lady,  though 
rather  brusque  in  her  manners,  and  reminded  one 
sometimes  of  the  Duchess  de  Sagan.  She  was  also 
very  fond  of  sport. 

The  Duke  of  Ratibor  was  the  younger  brother  of 

J  129 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Prince  Clovis.  He  was  married  to  a  Princess  of 
Fiirstenberg,  the  sister  of  the  Duchess  of  Ujest— a 
woman  of  saintly  character,  who  spent  her  whole  life 
at  home,  bringing  up  her  numerous  children.  She 
was  ugly,  and  anything  but  intelligent ;  but  she  was 
so  entirely  good  and  kind  that  it  was  impossible  not 
to  respect  and  like  her.  Sometimes  she  used  to  take 
out  into  society  a  couple  of  daughters  unfavoured  in 
their  looks,  for  whom  she  gave  splendid  but  solemn 
balls,  which  the  Emperor  and  the  Empress  never 
failed  to  honour  with  their  presence.  Her  husband 
had  earned  for  himself  the  hatred  of  the  Catholic 
Party  because  he  had  supported  the  policy  of  Prince 
Bismarck,  and  had  voted  for  the  famous  Falk  laws 
which  brought  about  the  Kulturkampf.  At  one  time 
he  had  been  considered  the  head  of  the  State  Catholics, 
and  in  Ultramontane  circles  he  was  accused  of  having 
become  a  renegade  in  order  to  obtain  the  help  of  the 
Chancellor  in  his  money  affairs,  which  at  one  time 
were  much  embarrassed.  Personally,  I  do  not  think 
that  this  reproach  was  deserved.  I  feel  sure  that  the 
Duke  of  Ratibor  adopted  the  line  of  conduct  which  he 
followed  until  his  death,  simply  because  he  was  a  clever 
man,  and  had  a  considerable  amount  of  common  sense. 

His  brother-in-law,  the  Duke  of  Ujest,  shared  his 
political  opinions,  but  was  not  reproached  for  them, 
because  he  had  always  been  a  Protestant.  The  Duke 
of  Ujest  was  one  of  the  richest  men  in  Germany,  but 
he  did  not  own  a  house  in  Berlin.  The  Duke  of  Ratibor, 
on  the  other  hand,  built  for  himself  a  veritable  palace 
there,  which  subsequently  became  the  Austrian  embassy. 
The  Duke  was  a  tall,  old  man,  who  made  astonishingly 

130 


The  Emperor's  Birthday 

dull  speeches  and  had  a  very  disagreeable  manner.  He 
died  a  long  time  ago,  and  his  eldest  son,  a  really  charm- 
ing man,  has  never  married.  Thus  the  late  Duke's 
enormous  fortune,  together  with  the  entailed  family 
estates,  will  pass  to  one  of  his  younger  brothers. 

The  Prince  of  Pless  could  rival  the  Duke  of  Ujest 
as  regards  riches.  He  used  to  spend  every  winter 
season  in  Berlin,  where  he  lived  in  princely  style, 
giving  sumptuous  receptions.  Count  and  Countess 
Stolberg  -  Wernigerode  also  kept  open  house.  The 
Stolbergs,  formerly  reigning  Counts  of  the  Harz,  where 
to  this  day  the  head  of  their  House  is  called  "  Unser 
Graf "  by  the  inhabitants,  were  the  owners  of  the 
splendid  castle  of  Wernigerode,  an  old  feudal  strong- 
hold which  stands  proudly  on  the  top  of  a  high  moun 
tain,  and  surpasses  in  magnificence  many  royal  resi- 
dences. Count  Stolberg  and  his  wife,  a  Princess  Reuss 
by  birth,  and  aunt  of  the  Bulgarian  Queen,  had  a  house 
of  their  own  in  Berlin,  where  they  arranged  most 
splendid  balls,  at  which  the  old  Emperor  was  always 
present.  At  one  time  the  Count  played  an  important 
part  in  Prussian  politics,  and  occupied  the  post  ol 
Vice-Chancellor  during  an  illness  of  Prince  Bismarck, 
who  appreciated  him  as  much  as  he  could  appreciate 
anybody.  He  had  also  been  for  some  years  ambassador 
in  Vienna.  The  Countess,  by  her  amiability  and  charm 
of  manner,  made  one  forget  her  want  of  beauty. 

For  the  anniversary  of  the  Emperor's  birthday 
nearly  all  the  representatives  of  the  princely  families 
of  Germany  gathered  together  in  the  capital.  It  was 
on  one  of  these  occasions  that  I  saw  the  late  Duke  of 
Croy,  with  his  second  wife,  the  widow  of  the  Spanish 

131 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Duke  of  Ossuna,  who  had  been  a  famous  beauty  in 
her  youth,  and  who  still  was  a  very  handsome  woman. 
I  also  met  Prince  and  Princess  Hatzfeld  Trachenberg. 
The  latter  was  a  Russian  by  birth,  and  extremely 
pretty,  too,  though  rather  ill-natured  and  pretentious. 

Periodically,  Prince  Bliicher  von  Wahlstadt,  the 
grandson  of  the  famous  Marshal,  used  to  visit  Berlin. 
Tradition  says  that  a  mother-in-law  never  finds  any- 
thing kind  to  say  about  her  son-in-law.  Perhaps, 
therefore,  I  ought  to  say  something  cutting  about 
mine ;  but  speaking  quite  truly,  I  cannot.  My  daughter 
is  married  to  Prince  Bliicher,  and  her  happiness —which 
I  believe  to  be  very  great  and  real —inspires  me  with 

respect. 

He  is  immensely  rich,  but  exceedingly  careful  of  his 
money,  an  instance  of  which  I  have  already  mentioned 
in  the  chapters  of  my  English  visit. 

Catholicism  and  economy  are  his  two  ruling  pas- 
sions. He  is  a  fierce  Catholic,  who  will  hardly  admit 
the  possibility  of  a  Protestant  entering  the  kingdom 
of  Heaven.  I  remember  another  incident  which  made 
me  smile.  It  occurred  while  we  were  still  in  London. 
He  proposed  that  we  should  go  and  dine  at  Richmond. 
As  it  happened,  when  he  suggested  the  plan,  there 
was  a  mutual  friend  of  ours  present  in  the  room,  whom 
we  asked  to  accompany  us.  The  next  day  Prince 
Bliicher  came  to  see  me,  and  brought  me  the  bill  for 
the  dinner,  saying  at  the  same  time,  "  This  is  your 
share,  and  this  is  mine  ;  and  now  what  shall  we  do 
with  Meredith  ?  I  propose  we  should  halve  him,  and 
each  of  us  pay  one-half  of  his  dinner." 

The  persons  whom  I  have  just  mentioned  constituted 

132 


An  Undesirable  Influence 

the  Upper  Ten  of  Berlin  society.  Around  them  gravi- 
tated a  number  of  lesser  stars,  who  certainly  did  more 
to  add  to  the  gaiety  of  life  than  the  august  person- 
ages I  have  described.  Subscription  balls  and  so  forth 
were  given  at  the  Kaiserhof  hotel  during  the  season 
for  the  benefit  of  the  youth  of  the  community  who 
cared  for  dancing  and  pleasure.  Real  friendships,  how- 
ever, were  rare,  and  as  a  result  there  was  an  inordinate 
love  of  gossip  which  entirely  poisoned  existence  and 
transformed  each  home  into  a  glasshouse  which  re- 
mained exposed  to  the  glances  of  every  passer-by. 

Berlin  at  that  time  was  a  very  small  place,  and  one 
was  never  allowed  to  forget  that  fact,  either  at  Court 
or  anywhere  else.  The  Empress  liked  to  be  kept 
au  courant  of  everything  that  was  going  on,  and  as  a 
result  of  her  curiosity  the  people  in  her  confidence  spent 
most  of  their  time  looking  out  for  subjects  of  gossip 
with  which  they  might  amuse  her.  One  had,  there- 
fore, to  be  very  cautious  in  one's  actions.  The  Empress's 
love  of  gossip  exercised  a  most  undesirable  influence  on 
society,  and  I  think  that  many  diplomats  who  were 
obliged  to  live  in  Berlin  at  the  time  suffered  from  it. 


133 


CHAPTER  XII 

A    FEW    BERLIN    HOSTESSES 

A  MONG  the  few  houses  where  one  could  spend  one's 
J~\-  time  really  pleasantly  in  Berlin,  but  which, 
unfortunately,  opened  its  doors  only  to  a  very,  very 
small  circle,  may  be  mentioned  that  of  the  old  Princess 
Biron  of  Curland.  She  was  Russian  by  birth,  being 
a  member  of  the  old  family  of  the  Princes  Mestcher- 
sky,  and  was  queenly  in  everything  she  did.  The 
Emperor  was  very  fond  of  her  ;  the  Empress  did  not 
quite  appreciate  her,  finding  her  too  independent  in 
her  attitude,  as  well  as  in  her  language  ;  but  others 
who  had  the  honour  of  knowing  her  respected  her,  and 
it  was  considered  a  great  favour  to  be  admitted  to 
her  house. 

Once  she  had  received  you  and  opened  her  heart 
to  you,  you  could  count  on  her  friendship  and  on 
her  protection  always  and  in  everything.  She  only 
admitted  a  very  few  people  to  her  intimacy,  and  one 
of  her  greatest  friends  was  the  Countess  Louise  Oriolla, 
the  lady-in-waiting  to  the  Empress. 

Princess  Biron  of  Curland  had  a  deep  and  sincere 
affection  for  the  old  Emperor  William.  I  shall  never 
forget  her  emotion  at  the  time  of  Nobiling's  attempt 
to  assassinate  the  aged  monarch.  When  the  latter 
returned  to  Berlin  after  his  recovery  from  the  long 

134 


At  the  Opera 

illness  which  had  followed  upon  the  wounds  he  had 
received,  the  Princess,  who  was  always  extremely- 
kind  towards  me,  wrote  me  a  note  saying  that  he 
intended  going  to  the  Opera  on  the  same  evening, 
and  that  if  I  liked  to  go  too  she  had  a  place  for  me 
in  her  box.  Of  course  I  accepted  her  offer  with  plea- 
sure, and  thus  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  one 
of  the  most  touching  manifestations  of  the  affection 
which  the  German  people  bore  their  old  King. 

When  we  reached  the  Opera  the  public  was  not 
yet  aware  that  the  Emperor  was  expected.  It  was 
quite  a  surprise,  therefore,  when  the  doors  of  the  small 
side  box  which  the  Royal  Family  used  to  occupy 
were  opened,  and  the  old  Sovereign  quietly  entered 
and  sat  down  in  his  usual  seat  in  the  left-hand  corner. 
The  first  person  who  caught  sight  of  him  exclaimed, 
"  Der  Kaiser— der  Kaiser  ist  hier  !  "  Instantly  the 
whole  house  was  on  its  feet,  and  one  loud  cry  escaped 
the  Hps  of  every  single  person  in  it.  "  Der  Konig  ! 
Der  Konig  !  Hoch  und  hoch  und  nochmals  hoch  !  " 
(The  King!  The  King!  Three  cheers  for  the  King!) 
thus  repeating  the  old  German  acclamation  used  on 
similar  occasions.  I  do  not  think  that  anyone  who 
witnessed  that  scene  has  ever  been  able  to  forget  it. 

The  enthusiasm  was  indescribable.  Men  yelled ; 
women  threw  their  handkerchiefs  in  the  air  ;  sobs  were 
heard,  and  all  these  human  beings,  so  different  in 
tastes,  in  habits,  in  social  conditions,  found  themselves 
for  once  carried  away  by  a  united  feeling  of  affection 
toward  their  beloved  sovereign  as  once  more  he  ap- 
peared among  them. 

The  Emperor  came  to  the  front  of  the  box,  and 

135 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

for  a  few  seconds  remained  quite  still,  looking  at  the 
acclaiming,  excited  crowd.  He  made  a  gesture  as  if 
he  wanted  to  speak  ;  then,  as  if  unable  to  bear  any 
more,  he  withdrew  to  the  back  of  his  box,  but  as  he 
did  so  one  could  see  him  wipe  away  a  tear  that  had 
rolled  down  his  withered  cheeks. 

The  house  of  Princess  Biron  of  Curland  was  especi- 
ally the  meeting- place  of  the  members  of  the  Royal 
Household  and  of  the  Russian  Embassy.  Madame  de 
Radowitz,  nee  Ozeroff,  who  was  also  a  Russian,  and 
whose  husband,  later  to  become  Ambassador  at 
Constantinople  and  at  Madrid,  was  often  to  be  seen 
there.  The  receptions  the  Princess  gave  were  always 
amusing,  especially  during  the  lifetime  of  her  daughter- 
in-law,  who,  unfortunately,  died  quite  young. 

There  was  also  another  house  in  Berlin  where  all 
the  intellectual  and  artistic  elements  in  the  capital  used 
to  assemble.  It  was  that  of  the  Countess  Schleinitz, 
who  later  became  the  Countess  Volkenstein  and  well 
known  in  St.  Petersburg  and  Paris,  where  her  hus- 
band spent  some  years  as  Austrian  Ambassador.  The 
Countess  was  a  most  original  person,  a  devoted  admirer 
of  Wagner  and  of  his  music.  She  was  passionately 
devoted  to  painting  and  art  in  general,  was  a  great 
friend  of  Lenbach,  of  Madame  Cosima  Wagner,  and 
generally  of  all  those  who  represented  in  Germany 
and  elsewhere  the  school  of  philosophy  of  Schopen- 
hauer and  the  music  of  the  future.  She  did  not, 
however,  pose  as  a  great  scholar  or  a  great  thinker, 
though  she  liked  to  surround  herself  with  people 
who     were.        Her     receptions     were     always     most 

interesting. 

136 


Count  and  Countess  Schleinitz 

The  Countess  Schleinitz  was  a  great  friend  of  the 
Crown  Princess,  who  used  to  see  her  very  often,  and 
always  defended  her  against  the  numerous  attacks  of 
the  many  people  who  envied  her  for  the  exceptional 
position  she  had  made  for  herself,  thanks  to  her  rare 
and  brilliant  qualities.  Her  husband,  the  Baron,  after- 
wards Count  Schleinitz,  had  been  Minister  for  Foreign 
Affairs  in  Prussia  before  Prince  Bismarck,  and  had 
contrived  to  make  an  enemy  of  him.  The  Chancellor 
hated  his  predecessor  so  thoroughly  that  he  forbade 
all  officials  of  the  Foreign  Office  to  be  present  at  the 
funeral  of  their  former  chief.  This  petty  act  of  ven- 
geance is  one  of  the  ugliest  pages  in  the  book  of  Prince 
Bismarck's  life. 

Count  Schleinitz  during  the  last  years  of  his  life 
held  the  post  of  Minister  of  the  Imperial  Household, 
and  as  such  occupied  a  magnificent  house  in  the 
Wilhelmstrasse  which  his  wife  had  arranged  with 
consummate  taste.  Here  at  one  time  she  gave  charm- 
ing balls.  Later,  however,  she  gave  up  official  re- 
ceptions, and  contented  herself  with  seeing  a  few  friends 
in  the  evening.  This,  however,  did  not  prevent  the 
Chancellor  from  accusing  her  of  mixing  in  politics  and 
trying  to  thwart  him  in  everything  that  he  wanted 
to  do. 

Prince  Bismarck  was  wrong  in  the  feelings  of 
aversion  which  he  entertained  in  regard  to  Count  and 
Countess  Schleinitz.  Neither  of  them  ever  thought 
of  intriguing  against  him.  The  Countess  lived  in  an 
artistic  atmosphere,  whilst  her  husband,  who  was 
already  very  aged,  only  wanted  to  be  left  alone.  He 
knew  that  the  Emperor  liked  him  and  that  he  was  in 

137 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

possession  of  his  confidence,  and  he  did  not  care  for 
or  require  anything  else. 

Count  Schleinitz  died  at  an  advanced  age,  and  his 
widow  married  again  as  soon  as  her  mourning  was 
over.  She  left  Berlin,  not  without  regret,  and  after 
her  second  husband,  Count  Volkenstein,  had  retired 
from  diplomatic  life  she  returned  to  the  German 
capital,  where  she  used  to  receive  her  former  acquaint- 
ances in  the  flat  she  took  at  an  hotel,  with  the  same 
kindness  and  affability  she  had  shown  in  the  time 
when  she  was  occupying  one  of  the  finest  houses  in 
the  town.  She  was  always  charming  and  pleasant, 
and  was  much  regretted  by  her  numerous  friends,  on 
her  death  a  few  years  ago. 

One  of  those  whom  one  met  constantly  at  Countess 
Schleinitz'  was  Prince  von  Biilow ;  at  that  time  he  had 
yet  to  achieve  the  fame  which  earned  his  title.  He 
was  then  a  young  attache  at  the  Foreign  Office.  I 
think  that  it  was  at  this  time  that  the  romance  began 
which  was  to  end  with  the  marriage  of  the  former 
Chancellor  to  the  very  distinguished  lady  who  now 
bears  his  name.  Countess  Schleinitz  was  very  fond  of 
Italy,  and  used  to  spend  part  of  the  year  in  Venice, 
where  her  mother,  the  Princess  Hatzfeld,  was  per- 
manently established.  She  had  met  there  Donna 
Laura  Minghetti,  and  a  great  friendship  sprung  up 
between  the  two  women — a  friendship  which  was  to 
benefit  later  the  Countess  Donhoff,  now  the  Princess 
Billow,  who  was  the  daughter  of  Donna  Laura  by  her 
first  marriage  with  the  Prince  of  Camporeale. 

In  addition  to  the  houses  I  have  just  mentioned, 
Berlin   society   frequently    met    at    the   house    of    the 

138 


Richter  the  Artist 

Baroness  Pergler  von  Preglas,  wife  of  the  Bavarian 
Minister.  She  used  to  receive  every  day.  Her  salon 
was  the  centre  of  all  the  gossip  of  the  town,  and  as 
such  sometimes  became  a  source  of  social  danger  for 
those  who  frequented  it. 

The  Countess  Max  Oriolla,  the  sister-in-law  of  the 
Countess  Louise,  also  gave  small  and  most  select  recep- 
tions. She  was  by  birth  a  Countess  Arnim,  and  the 
daughter  of  the  famous  Bettina,  made  ever  memor- 
able by  Goethe.  She  was  extremely  clever,  but  was 
generally  dreaded  on  account  of  her  sharp  tongue. 
Her  parties  were  terribly  dull,  though  no  one  dared 
to  acknowledge  the  fact. 

I  must  not  forget,  in  this  recapitulation  of  Berlin 
hostesses,  to  mention  Madame  Cornelie  Richter,  the 
wife  of  the  painter  of  that  name  and  the  daughter  of 
the  composer  Meyerbeer,  one  of  the  closest  friends  of 
the  Crown  Princess,  and  a  most  distinguished  woman. 
She  had  a  sister,  the  Baroness  d'Andriani,  who  used  to 
visit  Berlin,  where  she  enjoyed  the  special  friendship  of 
the  Emperor,  who  was  very  fond  of  her. 

Richter  was  one  of  the  most  popular  artists  of 
modern  Germany ;  some  of  his  portraits  are  really 
masterpieces — such,  for  instance,  as  the  one  he  did 
of  the  Queen  Louise  of  Prussia,  which  is  now  in  the 
Town  Hall  of  Cologne,  and  for  which  sat  one  of  the 
loveliest  young  girls  who  ever  appeared  in  Berlin, 
the  Countess  von  Moltke,  who  was  afterwards  to  become 
the  wife  of  the  painter  Lenbach.  The  portrait  of  the 
beautiful  Princess  Carolath,  which  figured  at  the  Paris 
Exhibition  of  1878,  is  also  by  Richter  ;  so  is  that  of 
the  pretty  Countess  de  Villeneuve.     Richter  had  the 

139 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

gift  of  being  always  able  to  achieve  in  his  paintings 
an  idealised  conception  of  his  models,  and  this  was 
partly  the  reason  why  he  was  so  popular  as  a  portrait 
painter. 

Richter  had  a  rival  in  the  person  of  Covmt  Ferdinand 
Harrach,  a  nobleman  of  ancient  lineage  and  an  artist 
of  great  talent,  who  painted  more  for  pleasure  than 
profit.  He  formed  one  of  the  small  circle  of  friends 
which  assembled  in  the  house  of  the  Heir  to  the 
Throne.  He  also  arranged  the  several  fancy  balls  that 
were  given  by  the  Crown  Princess.  The  Countess 
Helene  Pourtales,  whom  he  married,  was  a  very  pretty 
woman,  and  one  used  to  meet  her  frequently  in  society, 
but  she  did  not  give  receptions  herself. 

As  I  am  talking  of  the  artists  whom  I  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  meeting  in  Berlin,  I  cannot  pass  by  in 
silence  the  little  Menzel,  to  whom  one  owes  all  the 
pictures  which  we  see  in  Potsdam  which  represent  the 
Court  of  the  Great  Frederick  and  that  of  William  I. 
He  was  a  small,  eccentric  man,  a  real  dwarf  in  size 
and  proportions.  He  used  to  go  about  with  a  busy 
air  among  the  guests  at  all  the  balls  given  in  the  Imperial 
Palace  with  notebook  and  pencil  in  hand,  and  without 
the  least  ceremony,  whenever  he  saw  a  face  that 
pleased  him,  or  which  he  thought  he  could  make  use 
of,  he  would  make  a  rapid  sketch,  displaying  no  sign 
of  observing  the  confusion  of  the  subject.  I  have  never 
spoken  with  him,  but  I  have  often  found  myself  near 
him,  and  amused  myself  in  watching  him.  I  never 
remember  having  seen  him  anywhere  but  at  the  Imperial 
Palace. 

The    Austrian    painter    Angeli    used    also    to    visit 

140 


Unwelcomed  Criticisms 

Berlin  frequently,   where  he  was  generally  the   guest 
of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Crown  Princess.     One  owes 
to  his  brush  the  two  most  beautiful  portraits  that  have 
ever  been  painted  of  the  heir  to  the  German  Throne 
and    of   his    Consort.     The    latter    had    a    great    sym- 
pathy   for    Angcli,  and    appreciated    his    conversation, 
which  was  original  and  witty.     He  became  one  of  her 
personal  friends,  and  I  even  think— though  I  cannot 
say  so  for  certain — that  he  gave  her  a  few  drawing 
lessons.     He  was  rather  unconventional  in  his  language 
and  manners,  and  it  is  related  that  he  had  once  allowed 
himself  to  make  some  remarks  to  his  Imperial  pupil 
concerning  the   manner  in   which   she   dressed,   which 
he  thought  was  not   to   her   advantage.     The  Princess 
did  not   take   the   observation   in   good   part,  and  for 
some    time     showed    him    considerable     coolness.      I 
will    not    assume   any   responsibility   as   to   the   truth 
of    this    anecdote,   but   it   was  talked   about   all    over 
Berlin   at   the   time,    and    even    reached    the    ears    of 
the  Empress,  whom   it    scandalised    considerably,   and 
who  did  not  spare  her  reproaches  to  her  daughter-in- 
law,  whose  attitude  had  allowed  such  a  story  to  get 
about. 


141 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE    RADZIWILL   FAMILY 

4T  the  time  of  my  first  marriage,  the  Radziwill 
XJL  family  still  held  an  important  position  at  the 
Berlin  Court.  This  was  largely  due  to  its  ties  of 
relationship  with  the  Royal  Family,  the  niece  of 
Frederick  the  Great  having  been  married  to  my  hus- 
band's grandfather,  Prince  Anthony  Radziwill.  I  am 
going  now  to  relate  an  anecdote,  I  believe  for  the 
first  time,  concerning  the  parents  of  that  Prussian 
Princess. 

In  the  year  of  grace  1768,  Frederick  II.  was  already 
fifty- six  years  of  age.  He  had  never  lived  with  Queen 
Elisabeth  Christina,  whom  his  father  had  obliged  him 
to  marry,  and  his  relations  with  her  were  more  than 
extraordinary,  because  he  never  even  consented  to 
speak  to  her,  and  when  he  had  anything  to  commu- 
nicate, he  did  so  in  writing.  His  niece,  the  Princess 
Louise,  has  related  in  her  memoirs,  published  two 
or  three  years  ago,  some  curious  details  concerning 
the  relations  of  the  King  with  the  Queen. 

Describing  a  dinner  at  Court,  she  writes  as  follows  : 
"  Whilst  we  were  all  waiting  for  the  King,  in  the 
Queen's  study,  Elisabeth  herself  was  leaning  against  a 
chest  of  drawers,  as  one  of  her  legs  was  causing  her 
considerable  pain  at  the  time,  and  only  allowed  her  to 
walk  with  difficulty. 

142 


A  Curious  Incident 

"  The  King  came  in,  and  stopped  near  the  door 
to  speak  to  Madame  von  Kaunenberg,  the  mistress  of 
the  robes  to  the  Queen,  asking  her  in  a  very  loud 
voice  for  news  of  the  latter' s  health,  and  requesting 
her  to  beg  Her  Majesty  to  sit  down,  which,  however, 
the  Queen  did  not  consent  to  do ;  then  he  passed 
before  her,  bowing  profoundly  as  he  did  so. 

"  After  having  talked  with  us  all,  the  King-  took 
up  his  place  next  to  the  dining-room  door,  and  the 
Queen,  the  Princesses,  and  all  the  other  ladies  filed 
past  him  in  silence." 

This  story  will  explain  better  than  I  could '  ever 
do  the  unnatural  relations  which  existed  between 
Frederick  the  Great  and  his  Consort.  His  nephew 
and  heir  presumptive,  the  son  of  his  younger  brother. 
Prince  August  William,  had  only  one  daughter  by 
his  marriage  with  the  Princess  Elisabeth  of  Brunswick- 
Wolfenblittel.  Moreover,  he  did  not  live  with  his 
wife,  and  was  divorced  from  her  later.  Prince  Henry 
of  Prussia's  union  with  the  Princess  Wilhelmina  of 
Hesse  Cassel  had  been  childless,  and  the  second  brother 
of  Frederick  II.,  Prince  Ferdinand,  who  was  married 
to  a  Princess  of  Brandenburg-Schwedt,  had  an  only 
daughter  born  in  1761,  who  was  a  cripple,  and  died 
when  only  eleven  years  old. 

Frederick  the  Great  began  to  be  uneasy  concerning 
the  succession  to  the  Prussian  Throne.  After  several 
years,  however,  the  Princess  Ferdinand,  on  May  24th, 
1770,  gave  birth  to  the  Princess  Louise  (who  was  to 
become  the  wife  of  Prince  Anthony  Radziwill),  and 
later  to  two  Princes,  Frederick-Christian  and  Louis. 
Apart    from   this,    the    nephew   of   the    King,    having 

143 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

divorced  the  Princess  of  Brunswick,  married  a  Princess 
of  Hesse,  by  whom  he  had  a  son,  the  future  King 
Frederick- WilUam  III. 

The  succession  to  the  Throne  was  consequently 
more  than  assured. 

When  I  married,  the  Radziwill  family,  though 
numerous,  was  anything  but  united,  and  quarrels 
were  a  daily  occurrence.  They  all  lived  together  in 
the  house  which  was  bought  later  on  by  the  German 
Government  for  the  use  of  the  Chancellor  of  the 
Empire.  The  Empress  used  to  visit  it  often  in  order 
to  see  my  mother  and  sister-in-law. 

The  family  undoubtedly  exercised  great  influence 
during  the  lifetime  of  my  father-in-law,  owing  to  the 
fact  that  he  had  been  brought  up  together  with  the 
old  King,  who  had  been  violently  in  love  with  his 
sister,  the  Princess  Eliza  Radziwill.  The  King  never 
ceased  to  love  her,  and  though  he  was  obliged  to  sacri- 
fice his  love  for  reasons  of  State,  he  always  kept  the 
Princess's  portrait  on  his  writing-table. 

When  my  father-in-law  died,  his  eldest  son,  Anthony, 
was  already  attached  to  the  person  of  the  Sovereign 
as  an  aide-de-camp.  William  I.  was  very  fond  of  him. 
I  have  never  been  able  to  understand  why,  because 
it  is  probable  that  if  Prince  Anthony  had  not  been 
married  to  an  exceedingly  clever  woman  he  would 
never  have  done  anything.  Mile,  de  Castellane,  with 
whom  he  had  associated  his  fate,  was  one  of  those  rare 
women  who  command  general  respect  and  admiration. 
She  was  remarkable  not  only  because  of  her  intelligence, 
her  wit,  and  her  kindliness,  but  also  by  reason  of  her 
perfect  tact  and  strength  of  character.     Her  life  was 

144 


Prince  Ferdinand  Radziwill 

not  happy,  and  she  must  often  have  experienced  the 
sensation  of  feehng  choked  in  the  heavy  atmosphere 
of  the  Radziwill  household.  She  never  showed  it  in 
public,  however,  and  went  her  way  always  serene  and 
courageous  amidst  the  difficulties  and  disappointments 
which  abounded  in  her  life.  If  ever  a  woman  lived 
who  was  worthy  of  the  respect  of  friend  and  foe  alike, 
it  is  my  sister-in-law  ;  and  if  ever  these  lines  should 
fall  under  her  eyes,  I  hope  that  she  will  see  in  them 
a  proof  of  the  gratitude  which  I  feel  for  the  many 
kindnesses  with  which  she  has  loaded  me  in  the  past. 

So  long  as  old  Prince  Radziwill  was  alive  my  sister- 
in-law  could  not  have  a  household  of  her  own,  and 
even  after  his  death  my  mother-in-law  insisted  on 
managing  affairs.  But  when  she  died  Princess  Mary 
Radziwill  opened  her  house  to  her  numerous  friends, 
and  it  is  to  this  day  a  centre,  unique  in  Berlin  society. 

As  I  have  already  related,  there  was  a  time  when 
the  Radziwill  family  exercised  a  certain  political  influ- 
ence. In  speaking  about  it,  I  have  in  view  the  part 
played  by  the  cousins  of  my  husband.  Prince  Ferdinand, 
as  well  as  by  his  brother,  who  was  at  one  time  a  deputy 
in  the  Reichstag.  Prince  Ferdinand  is  a  devout 
Cathohc,  with  a  fierce  Polish  patriotism,  and  is  always 
considered  as  the  head  of  the  Polish  party  at  the 
Berlin  Court.  It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  whilst  the 
Kulturkampf  lasted,  he  and  his  wife  took  part  in 
numerous  intrigues  against  the  Government.  He  sin- 
cerely imagined  that  the  status  enjoyed  by  his  family 
was  still  as  strong  as  it  had  been  in  his  father's  life- 
time, and  that  the  Radziwills  could,  thanks  to  their 
personal  influence  over  the  Sovereign,  check  the  designs 

K  145 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

of  the  Chancellor.  No  one  ever  made  a  greater  mis- 
take. It  was  very  easy  for  Bismarck  to  get  rid  of  his 
feeble  adversaries,  and  with  the  help  of  time  and 
perseverance,  the  Chancellor  succeeded  in  destroying 
the  influence  of  the  Radziwill  family. 

My  sister-in-law  is  the  only  one  who  continues  to 
hve  in  BerHn.  She  is  one  of  the  last  of  the  old-time 
great  ladies  left  in  the  capital  of  the  Empire.  A  con- 
siderable number  of  people  go  and  see  her  through 
sheer  curiosity,  so  entirely  does  she  represent  a  period 
of  German  history.  She  remembers  still  the  kingdom 
of  Prussia  as  it  was,  a  period  few  care  to  remind  them- 
selves of  to-day.  She  knew  the  present  Emperor  as  a 
child,  and  has  lived  in  the  intimacy  of  people  who  have 
become  already  historical  figures.  And  what  must  to 
her  seem  sadder  still,  she  has  witnessed  the  fall  of  her 
own  family.  I  imagine  that  often  in  the  silence  of 
her  room  she  has  wept  over  the  ruin  of  so  many  things 
in  the  greatness  of  which  she  has  probably  believed, 
and  which  have  crumbled  into  dust  before  her  eyes. 


146 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE   INTELLECTUAL   WORLD    OF   BERLIN 

A  FTER  all  that  I  have  said,  the  reader  may  think 
jljL  that  it  was  impossible  to  find  in  Berlin  people 
with  intellectual  tastes.  Such  an  opinion  would  be 
quite  false.  I  believe  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  find 
anywhere  else  such  an  abundance  of  learned  men  and 
eminent  writers  as  in  Germany  at  the  time  of  which 
I  am  writing ;  but  they  formed  a  circle  quite  distinct 
from  the  so-called  smart  set. 

It  was  only  at  the  Crown  Prince  and  Crown  Prin- 
cess's house  that  one  could  have  the  opportunity  of 
meeting  men  like  the  historian  Ranke,  the  chemist 
Helmholtz,  and  all  the  other  professors  of  the  Berlin 
University.  In  general,  these  learned  men  only  mixed 
with  each  other,  and  never  came  out  of  their  own 
set,  into  which  it  was  most  difficult  to  obtain  an 
introduction.  I  succeeded  in  doing  so  through  my 
doctor.  Professor  Gusserow,  who  was  married  to  a 
Miss  Oppenheim  of  Cologne,  related  to  the  Mendelssohn- 
Bartholdys.  She  introduced  me  in  her  own  circle, 
and  I  was  thus  able  to  frequent  that  exclusive 
world  of  the  University.  I  have  spent  evenings  — 
which  I  shall  never  forget — with  Professor  Dubois 
Raymond ;  Leyden  the  physician ;  Gregorovius  the 
historian,  during  one  of  his  rare  visits  to  Berlin  ;   Helm- 

147 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

holtz  and  his  charming  wife,  the  niece  of  old  Madame 
Mohl,  whose  house  was  at  one  time  celebrated  in 
Paris.  Mrs.  Helmholtz  had  also  relations  in  the 
fashionable  set  where  she  was  seen  now  and  then,  but 
the  others  whom  I  have  just  mentioned  never  showed 
themselves  in  it.  These  evenings  will  always  remain 
in  my  remembrance  like  an  oasis  in  that  desert  which 
Berlin — or  at  least  that  portion  of  Berlin  society 
into  which  Fate  had  thrown  me  — represented  ;  and  from 
the  distinguished  men  and  women  whom  I  met,  I 
learned   many  things  which  have  helped  me  in  life. 

The  old  historian  Ranke  was,  above  all  other  German 
celebrities,  the  one  with  whom  I  entertained  the  most 
cordial  relations.  This  illustrious  thinker  distinguished 
himself  by  an  impartiality  in  his  judgments  such  as 
I  have  never  met  with  in  anyone.  He  was  en- 
tirely devoid  of  any  prejudice  or  sympathy.  He  used 
to  pretend  that  every  political  crime  was  accompanied 
by  extenuating  circumstances  that  took  away  some 
part  of  its  horror.  The  misfortunes  of  Marie  An- 
toinette, the  tragedy  of  Mary  Stuart,  left  him  quite 
indifferent ;  he  accused  both  the  French  Convention 
and  Queen  Elizabeth  of  cruelty,  but,  he  added,  when 
doing  so,  that  if  one  tried  to  take  into  account  the 
situation  in  which  each  was  placed,  good  reasons 
were  discovered  to  explain  the  apparent  barbarity 
displayed  by  the  one  as  well  as  by  the  other.  He 
habitually  avoided  final  judgments  on  anything.  This 
caution  proceeded  not  from  a  feeling  of  indulgence, 
but  out  of  a  spirit  of  impartiality  which  often  jarred 
on  the  nerves  of  those  before  whom  he  displayed  it. 
Ranke   lacked  a  sympathetic   personality,  but  he  had 

148 


Death  of  Ranke 

a  strong  faith  in  God,  in  spite  of  the  absolute  indiffer- 
ence which  he  professed  in  all  religious  matters. 

When  he  found  himself  near  his  last  hours,  not 
suffering  from  any  disease  but  crushed  under  the  weight 
of  his  years— he  was  over  ninety-five —he  asked  the 
people  who  surrounded  his  death-bed  to  read  to  him 
the  Psalms  of  David,  especially  the  fourth.  When  the 
reader  reached  the  verse  "  I  will  both  lay  me  down 
in  peace,  and  sleep,"  the  head  of  the  illustrious  thinker 
bent  down,  he  softly  sighed,  and  his  soul  peacefully 
passed  away. 

Helmholtz,  the  chemist,  had,  to  a  far  greater  degree 
than  Ranke,  the  manners  of  a  man  of  the  world.  The 
historian  lived  entirely  absorbed  by  his  thoughts.  The 
man  of  science  seemed,  on  the  contrary,  to  have  deter- 
mined that,  once  outside  his  laboratory,  he  would 
never  remember  the  great  work  to  which  he  owed 
his  reputation.  He  liked  to  talk  about  literature,  and 
interest  himself  in  politics.  When  he  received  friends 
in  his  house  he  showed  himself  a  perfect  host,  and 
looked  after  his  guests  as  if  he  had  nothing  else  to  do 
in  the  world.  Mrs.  Helmholtz  used  to  second  him 
most  graciously,  and  all  those  who  had  been  fortunate 
enough  to  be  admitted  to  their  home  were  enchanted 
with  the  kind  welcome  they  received. 

The  couple  had  an  only  daughter,  who  was  married 
later  to  the  son  of  the  famous  Siemens,  the  learned 
electrician,  and  I  have  been  told  that  she  has  become 
one  of  the  smartest  women  in  Berlin,  where  happily 
at  the  present  day  but  little  distance  separates  the 
different  classes  of  society. 

At  the  period  I  am  writing  about,  however,  these 

149 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

distances  were  rigorously  observed,  and  in  that  respect 
the  higher  classes  were  far  more  exclusive  than  even 
the  Court  itself.  For  instance,  though  old  Baron  von 
Bleichroder  and  his  wife  were  invited  to  every  ball 
that  was  given  at  the  Royal  Castle,  many  people 
refused  to  visit  them. 

This  famous  Baron  was  a  type  and  a  social  power 
in  a  way,  thanks  to  his  relations  with  Prince  Bismarck, 
whose  confidant  he  was  in  many  matters,  and  who 
protected  him  constantly.  One  could  meet  him  every 
day,  walking  in  the  Thiergarten  in  company  with  his 
wife,  and  after  her  death,  when  he  became  almost 
entirely  blind,  he  would  take  his  walks  leaning  on  the 
arm  of  a  secretary. 

Many  people  feared  him,  but  others  whom  he  helped 
out  of  financial  troubles  had  occasion  to  be  grateful 
to  him  in  his  capacity  as  a  banker.  Latterly  he  almost 
entirely  dissociated  himself  from  his  vast  business, 
and  abandoned  its  direction  to  his  partner,  Schwabach. 
Madame  Schwabach  was  a  very  pretty  woman,  and 
her  receptions  were  frequented  by  all  the  diplomats 
at  the  Berlin  Court,  as  well  as  by  a  certain  smart 
set,  who  did  not  mind  being  disapproved  by  the  stern 
dowagers  who  wished  to  keep  up  the  barrier  that 
formerly  divided  Jewish  society  from  other  circles 
admitted  at  Court. 

There  was  also  another  banker  in  Berlin  into  whose 
house  were  welcomed  all  who  cared  to  enter.  It 
was  the  house  of  Baron  von  Hansemann,  the  head  of 
the  Disconto  Gesellschaft,  one  of  the  most  important 
banks  in  the  Empire,  and  one  could  meet  there  people 
belonging   to  the  special   world  of  the  University,   as 

150 


My  Happiest  Moments 

well  as  political  men  and  the  representatives  of  different 
classes  of  society.  The  Baron,  who  was  enormously 
rich,  liked  to  give  receptions  and  dinners  where  the 
elegance  of  the  service  rivalled  the  excellence  of  the 
fare  and  wines. 

I  can  say  now  what  I  would  never  have  dared  to 
own  whilst  I  was  living  in  Berlin,  that  it  was  in  the 
financial  and  the  University  circles  that  I  used  to 
spend  the  happiest  moments  of  my  life  ;  I  shall  never 
forget  how  kindly  I  was  received  in  them,  nor  cease 
to  be  grateful  for  the  welcome  which  they  extended 
to  me. 


151 


CHAPTER    XV 

PRINCE   VON    BISMARCK 

FROM  the  time  of  my  introduction  to  Princess  Bis- 
marck and  her  splendid  husband,  "  The  Iron 
Chancellor,"  until  my  sojourn  in  Berlin  came  to  an 
end,  I  always  maintained  a  cordial  friendship  with 
both. 

This,  in  a  way,  was  remarkable,  because  I  was 
the  only  member  of  the  Radziwill  family  admitted 
within  the  circle  of  their  regard.  I  visited  them  fre- 
quently, and  for  both  had  the  greatest  respect,  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  Bismarck  and  his  wife  were  most 
gracious  at  all  times. 

When  I  say  that  such  happy  relations  were  rather 
remarkable,  my  mind  goes  back  to  an  incident  which 
shows  how  severe  the  Chancellor  could  be  when 
he  felt  cause  for  grievance.  In  passing,  it  is  a 
sincere  tribute  to  the  strength  of  his  personality  that, 
although  the  action  which  I  am  about  to  relate  was 
directed  against  a  member  of  my  own  family,  he  never 
allowed  it  to  interfere  with  his  friendliness  towards 
myself. 

In  the  summer  months  of  1874  my  brother-in-law 
was  at  Ems  with  the  Emperor.  At  this  time,  it  should 
be  mentioned,  the  great  struggle  between  the  Roman 
Church    and    Bismarck    was    at    its    height,    and    my 

152 


Bismarck  and  the  Radziwills 

husband's  family,  being  of  the  Cathohc  persuasion, 
took  an  exceedingly  active  part  in  the  Kulturkampf, 
as  the  movement  was  called,  which  aimed  at  a  wider 
recognition  of  the  claims  of  Rome.  Indeed,  the 
Radziwills  were  considered  to  be  at  the  head  of  the 
Catholic  party  in  Prussia,  and  so  were  constantly 
associated  with  other  leaders  in  activities  directly 
in  opposition  to  the  Chancellor.  Precisely  the  extent 
to  which  my  people  went,  and  how  far  they  happened 
to  be  mixed  up  in  the  intrigues  which  networked 
political  life  in  those  eventful  years,  I  cannot  say. 

But  Prince  von  Bismarck  chose  to  consider  that 
their  efforts  were  significant.  My  feeling  is  that  he 
attached  more  importance  to  what  my  people  did 
in  opposition  to  his  plans  than  was  really  warranted. 
Still,  it  was  evident  that  they  were  a  prolific  source 
of  irritation  to  him,  and  everything  that  could  possibly 
be  conceived  for  the  purpose  of  annoying  him  was 
resorted  to.  However  harmless  in  political  effect  such 
tactics  may  be,  one  can  understand  that  a  continu- 
ance of  unceasing  irritations  has  a  maddening  effect, 
and  where  an  opportunity  presented  itself  to  retaliate, 
even  though  little  practical  result  was  expected,  the 
chance  was  taken,  because  of  the  annoyance  and 
chagrin  it  would  cause. 

My  knowledge  of  the  Chancellor's  character  has 
led  me  into  some  byway  of  explanation  to  bring 
before  the  reader  an  eye-picture  of  the  situation  at 
that  time  when  the  police  raided  the  Radziwill  palace. 
Our  position  as  a  family  was  far  too  secure  with  the 
Emperor — if  I  may  say  so  without  egotism — for  anyone 
to  assail  our  loyalty  unless  backed  with  positive  demon- 

153 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

stration  that  we  were  guilty  of  intrigue.  This  being  so, 
it  was  difficult  for  Bismarck  openly  to  attack,  for, 
naturally,  it  was  next  to  impossible  for  him  to  obtain 
proofs  of  anything  in  this  way. 

In  the  June  of  the  year  I  have  mentioned  some 
half-dozen  of  us  were  in  the  immense  old  house.  The 
dinner-gong  had  gone,  and  we  were  descending  the 
ancient  staircase  to  the  dining-room,  when  suddenly, 
to  our  surprise  and  amazement,  we  were  confronted 
by  the  police.  We  could  not  conjecture  the  reason 
of  so  unwarrantable  an  intrusion,  and  demanded  to 
be  told  the  reason  for  this  domiciliary  visit.  The  police 
explained  to  my  husband's  cousins,  who  had  remon- 
strated warmly,  that  they  had  been  ordered  to  take 
possession  and  to  search  the  room  which  my  brother- 
in-law's  secretary  used  for  his  work.  The  secretary, 
von  Kehler,  who,  by  the  way,  had  formerly  been  a 
clerk  in  the  Foreign  Office,  was  a  convert  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  faith,  and  as  so  often  is  the  case  with  converts 
from  Protestantism,  his  zeal  for  his  new  belief  knew 
no  bounds.  His  fanaticism,  however,  did  not  prevent 
him  from  being  a  most  congenial  companion  and  a  really 
amiable  man.  He  was  an  influential  member  of  the 
Reichstag,  and  he  always  commanded  the  respect  of 
our  family. 

Doubtless,  under  the  pretence  of  searching  through 
von  Kehler' s  desk,  the  police  had  the  expectation  of 
discovering  some  incriminating  document  belonging  to 
my  brother-in-law  or  my  cousin. 

Whether  they  did  so  or  not  I  was  never  able  to 
discover,  but  in  my  own  mind  I  have  always  felt  that 
the   precautions   taken   were   too   many   to   leave   any 

154 


Bismarck's  Raid 

likelihood  of  discoveries  which  would  involve  either 
the  family  or  the  party. 

In  reality  this  raid  was  entirely  unwarranted, 
but  it  vividly  expresses  the  methods  of  the  man  and 
the  manner  in  which  he  could  command  others  to 
carry  out  his  wishes,  that  Bismarck  should  not  have 
hesitated  to  put  his  plans  into  execution.  Truly 
Bismarckian  this;  ruthless  and  regardless  of  law  so 
long  as  its  ends  were  achieved. 

At  the  time  Bismarck  perpetrated  this  act  of  high- 
handed invasion  I  had  only  known  him  a  short  while.  It 
was  less  than  a  year  after  my  marriage,  and  some  six 
months  only  after  the  introduction  to  which  I  have 
referred,  and  which  took  place  on  New  Year's  night  at 
the  reception  given  by  the  Empress  Augusta  to  the 
princely  families  residing  in  Berlin.  This  was  some 
years  before  Bismarck  retired  to  the  privacy  and 
quietness  of  his  homes  at  Varzin  and  Friedrichsruhe. 
I  remember  so  well  being  impressed  by  his  fine  com- 
manding figure,  the  stalwartness  of  his  pose,  the  in- 
domitable power  which  was  expressed  in  his  every 
glance.  Yet  there  seemed  to  lurk  beneath  that  iron 
exterior  an  inner  kindliness  that  could  be  noticed 
momentarily  to  reside  in  his  eyes  when  some  homely 
incident  or  simple  thought  banished  the  habitual  stern- 
ness from  his  face.  To  the  observant  this  revealed  the 
real  man,  and  yet,  such  was  his  patriotism  and  am- 
bition for  his  country — the  country  he  saw  consolidated 
into  a  power  by  his  own  efforts — that  this  homely 
nature  and  kindliness  were  kept  subservient  to  the 
great  piu^pose  of  his  life. 

As  the  years  went  on  I  found  my  first  impression 

i55 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

but  confirmed ;  indeed,  among  the  dominating  per- 
sonalities in  those  years  of  evolution  which  saw  the 
German  Empire  emerge,  consolidated  and  eager,  from 
the  conflicting  interests  of  many  small  States,  none 
impressed  itself  on  my  memory  with  greater  vividness 
than  that  of  Bismarck. 

It  is  not  infrequently  a  characteristic  of  powerful 
minds  that  they  cannot  follow  the  curious  methods  of 
reasoning  by  which  stupid  people  come  to  wrong  con- 
clusions. Bismarck  was  no  exception.  Where  he  should 
have  been  amused  at  the  petty  efforts  of  petty  politicians 
and  intriguers  of  no  great  mental  power,  because  of 
their  lack  of  understanding  the  real  causes  of  great 
events  in  the  national  evolution,  he  allowed  their 
want  of  foresight  to  irritate  him,  and,  what  was  still 
more  regrettable,  gave  them  the  joy  of  knowing  that 
fact.  This  caused  various  of  these  plotters  to  con- 
ceive that  because  they  had  this  power  they  were 
of  importance  in  the  making  of  history.  Bismarck 
would  have  done  better  for  his  own  peace  of  mind  to 
have  left  one  and  all  severely  alone  and  continued  his 
great  work  in  the  knowledge  that  at  least  his  royal 
master,  William  I.,  and  himself,  rightly  understood 
those  great  events  which  brought  the  diadem  of  Bar- 
barossa  into  the  possession  of  the  Hohenzollern 
dynasty. 

The  general  public  imagined  that  nothing  had 
been  changed ;  they  failed  to  realise  that  after  the 
triumphs  of  Sadowa  and  Sedan  neither  the  Emperor 
nor  his  ministers  could  proceed  upon  the  same  lines 
as  before.  No  longer  were  they  the  heads  of  a  mid- 
European    State ;     their   territory    was    now    of   wider 

i56 


Visions  of  Empire 

significance  ;  their  eyes  were  lifted  toward  the  hills, 
and  in  the  consummation  of  1871  they  saw  the  be- 
ginnings of  an  Empire  which  should  be  wide-spreading 
in  territory,  far-reaching  in  power,  and  knit  together 
by  a  love  for  the  Fatherland  which  should  make  the 
German  Empire  supreme  in  the  councils  of  Europe. 

Instead  of  this  being  used  to  the  restricted  activi- 
ties of  the  small  Prussian  Court,  some  thought,  when 
Bismarck  rose  as  the  dominating  influence,  that  it 
would  be  easy  to  remove  him  by  an  intrigue  for  the 
purpose  of  undermining  the  Emperor's  confidence 
in  him.  In  the  religious  question  involved  in  the 
Kulturkampf  the  Empress  Augusta  was  emphatic  and 
decided  in  her  opposition.  She  sincerely  believed, 
and  continually  prophesied,  that  continuance  in  the 
policy  adopted  would  bring  the  State  to  ruin. 
Because  this  certainty  prepossessed  her  mind,  the 
Empress  would  not  desist  from  exerting  her  personal 
influence  to  compel  William  to  stop  Bismarck's  pro- 
paganda. In  season  and  out  of  season  she  strenuously 
forced  the  idea  upon  the  Emperor,  until  in  exaspera- 
tion he  put  his  foot  down,  and  in  this  and  other  direc- 
tions stopped  the  efforts  of  "  politicians  in  petticoats  " 
to  bend  history  to  their  opinions  or  ambitions. 

Bismarck  was  not  blind  to  all  this  intrigue ;  he 
knew,  too,  the  effect  it  had  on  the  religious  question, 
which  would  not  have  acquired  such  strength  had 
not  the  erroneous  conclusion  been  arrived  at  that 
friends  in  high  circles  and  partisans  in  the  Reichstag 
held  the  key  to  the  situation.  In  this  the  interested 
parties  again  showed  a  lack  of  comprehension  of  the 
fact  that  Prussia  could  no  longer  be  classed  as  a  little 

i57 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

State,  content   to    jog    along    as    other    of   the    small 
German  States. 

The  agile  intelligence  of  Bismarck  had  readily- 
grasped  the  change  that  events  of  a  few  years  before 
had  wrought  in  the  prospects  and  destiny  of  Prussia. 
William  I.,  too,  had  a  similar  vision  of  the  glorious 
future,  and  it  was  this  realisation  which  they  held 
in  common,  but  which  so  few  others  had  shared, 
that  brought  them  so  close  to  each  other.  It  was 
almost  affecting  to  discern  the  respect  in  which  the 
Emperor  and  his  Chancellor  held  each  other.  And 
amid  the  vindictive  and  unbending  policy  Bismarck 
adopted  to  his  enemies,  it  was  touching  in  the 
extreme  to  observe  the  reverence  he  expressed  in 
his  bearing  towards  William  I.  When  he  looked  at 
his  Sovereign  it  seemed  as  if  he  were  pouring  out  a 
sincere  and  soulful  affection,  and  when  importunate 
personages  thrust  unwelcome  requests  before  the  aged 
monarch,  there  was  something  almost  maternal  in 
the  efforts  the  stern  and  impassive  Chancellor  would 
make  to  rid  his  Emperor  of  undesired  attentions. 

The  history  of  the  Kulturkampf  is  inseparable  from 
the  biography  of  Bismarck.  The  whole  force  of  his 
magnificent  intellect,  the  relentless  use  of  his  far- 
reaching  power,  the  weight  of  his  enormous  influence, 
were  exerted  to  crush  it.  Yet  it  was  not,  perhaps,  the 
atrocious  thing  that  the  Chancellor  believed  it  to  be. 
He  arrived  early  at  the  conclusion  that  it  was  a  move- 
ment inimical  to  the  progress  of  the  new  German 
Empire,  and  so  he  set  out  to  crush  it.  On  the  other 
hand,  sincere  Catholics,  every  whit  as  loyal  to  the 
Empire  as  Bismarck,  upheld  and  worked  for  the  Kul- 

158 


H 
O 

!^ 
o 
> 

P 
o 
o 


o 
!> 

w 

o 

(1. 


The  Real  Bismarck 

turkampf  as  entirely  for  good.  They  looked  on  the 
movement  as  intended  to  secure  acceptable  education 
for  Catholics  within  the  dominions  of  the  German 
Empire  should  the  struggle  eventuate  in  favour  of 
the  adherents  of  Rome.  Bismarck  fought  for  State 
control  of  religious  education  ;  the  Catholics  to  conserve 
the  right  to  follow  the  dictates  of  their  faith.  That,  in 
brief,  was  the  motif  of  the  long  and  bitter  struggle 
that  not  only  shook  Germany  from  end  to  end  as  a 
reed,  but  was  looked  upon  with  no  httle  apprehension 
and  wonder  as  to  its  ultimate  issue  by  the  leading 
statesmen  of  Europe. 

Bismarck  was  always  a  good  fighter,  an  enemy 
who  compelled  respect  for  the  ceaseless  energy  with 
which  he  beat  down  every  barrier,  and  the  undaunted 
manner  in  which  he  fought  for  what  he  believed  was 
best  for  his  loved  Empire.  Seeing  him  in  those  mo- 
ments of  fierce  battle,  it  was  difficult  to  believe  the 
stories  one  heard  of  the  tender  and  sweet  simplicity 
of  his  home  life.  Yet  it  was  unreservedly  true.  At 
those  times  when  he  was  able  to  throw  aside  for  a 
brief  season  the  anxieties  and  harassments  of  State 
affairs,  he  would  retire  to  his  home  and  there  lead 
the  happiest  life  it  is  possible  to  imagine.  He  was 
absolutely  charming,  and  his  wife  was  to  him  the 
best  of  mortals.  They  never  allowed  outside  affairs 
to  disturb  the  sweetness  and  harmony  of  their  affection 
for  each  other.  On  religious  questions  they  were 
poles  apart,  but  even  here— the  stumbling-block  in 
so  many  cases— they  were  quite  in  harmony  in  agi-ee- 
ing  to  differ.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Princess's 
homely    characteristics    contributed    not    a    little    to 

159 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

this  perfection  of  harmony,  for  had  she  been  a  briUiant 
and  dashing  woman  of  the  world  the  peaceful  atmo- 
sphere of  the  home  life  would  not  have  been  so  marked. 
It  was  all  for  the  best  that  this  home-loving  woman 
could  preserve  for  her  Prince  such  a  haven  of  restful 
quietude,  where  he  could  find  grateful  ease  from  the 
tension  and  nerve-wrack  of  his  tempestuous  public 
life. 

Added  to  this  quality,  the  Princess,  after  her  own 
fashion,  presented  a  striking  and  unusual  personality 
by  reason  of  the  strong  intelligence  and  common 
sense  which  she  brought  to  bear  upon  her  mode  of 
life,  upon  various  things  which  interested  her,  or 
in  the  expression  of  her  opinions.  These  are  very 
useful  qualities  to  find  in  the  wife  of  a  statesman, 
and  because  of  these  endowments  it  was  always  a 
sincere  pleasure  to  me  to  meet  and  talk  with  the  Princess. 

There  was  never  any  doubt  of  her  entire  love 
for  her  husband.  Her  devotion,  too,  was  sweet  and 
unswerving.  To  her  he  was  always  the  husband 
before  he  was  the  Chancellor.  But  at  the  same  time 
she  unsparingly  sacrificed  her  claims  on  his  time  in 
order  that  he  might  the  better  serve  the  State.  This 
trait  in  her  character  was,  to  my  mind,  the  more 
commendable  because,  despite  her  perception,  she  was 
unable  to  enter  into  the  magnitude  of  his  achieve- 
ments so  far  as  they  affected  the  future  of  Germany. 
She  knew  he  was  a  great  man,  and  rejoiced  exceedingly, 
with  happy  pride,  in  his  outstanding  genius  and  the 
splendour  of  his  diplomatic  successes,  but  the  vast 
debt  which  generations  imborn  would  owe  to  the 
Chancellor   did   not  impress   her   soul.     The   greatness 

160 


Bismarck's  Home  Life 

of  her  love  was  far  more  real  to  her  than  any  love  of 
greatness,  and  the  things  of  moment  which  were  daily 
achieved  by  Bismarck  were  only  of  interest  to  her 
because  her  husband  had  accomplished  them.  In  her 
the  wife  was  paramount,  and  her  greatest  content  was 
to  watch  over  Bismarck  with  all  the  tenderness  and 
solicitude  that  a  great  love  can  outpour.  In  her 
eyes  he  was  the  acme  of  perfection.  She  lived  for 
him  alone,  and  in  every  moment  of  his  life  it  was  her 
sole  object  to  surround  him  with  care  and  comfort, 
to  assure  his  material  well-being,  to  provide  for  him  a 
never-failing  solace  when  the  cares  of  State  became 
well-nigh  unbearable. 

Princess  Bismarck  made  no  secret  of  her  affection ; 
but  it  was  more  in  her  attitude  towards  everything 
which  concerned  Bismarck  than  in  the  active  ex- 
pressions of  her  lips  that  all  Berlin  knew  of  her  devo- 
tion. Everyone,  therefore,  held  her  in  sincere  and 
lasting  regard.  Even  among  the  most  fashionable 
of  society  dames  it  would  have  been  considered  a 
faux  pas  to  criticise  the  simplicity  of  her  manner  or 
her  curious  ideas  on  what  constituted  becoming  attire. 
Her  dresses  really  were  most  extraordinary  at  times, 
but  never  by  any  chance  were  they  referred  to  in 
that  malicious  spirit  in  which  such  things  are  wont 
to  be  spoken  of  by  those  devotees  of  fashion  who 
affect  to  criticise  anything  and  everything  that  they 
see  around  them. 

There  is  one  other  characteristic  which  I  should 
like  to  refer  to,  and  that  is  her  prejudices.  In  common 
with  so  many  Germans  who  have  not  been  freed  from 
the    merely   national    outlook   she   had   a   very    lively 

L  161 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

hatred  of  the  French.  This  at  times  had  its  reflex 
action  upon  Bismarck,  and  made  his  work  more  diffi- 
cult, because  his  enemies  would  maintain  that  she 
imbibed  her  narrow-minded  view  from  him.  Bismarck, 
however,  thoroughly  understood  her ;  he  knew  that 
this  added  difficulty  he  had  occasionally  to  contend 
with  was  a  limitation,  and  he  was  far  too  fond  of  her 
ever  to  give  her  pain  by  letting  her  know  the  thorns 
she  unconsciously  strewed  upon  his  path.  A  more 
devoted  husband  or  father  it  would  be  difficult  to 
picture ;  his  essentially  affectionate  nature  made 
home  life  exceedingly  congenial  to  him,  and  one  can 
imagine  the  delight  with  which  he  snatched  the  all 
too  brief  opportunities  of  enjoying  the  sacred  felicity 
of  his  fireside. 

He  was  never  too  busy  to  take  an  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  his  relatives,  and  the  suffering  of  any  one 
of  them  would  cause  him  sincere  concern. 

Those  who  have  been  favoured  with  a  knowledge 
of  the  correspondence  between  Bismarck  and  his  wife 
will  understand  the  charming  sincerity  of  his  domestic 
relations.  It  was  no  parade  ;  he  knew  and  appreciated 
with  the  whole  depth  of  his  nature  the  superior  joys 
of  a  fireside  life  ;  he  knew  the  rest  that  always  awaited 
him  in  the  bosom  of  his  family.  It  will  be  no  revela- 
tion to  say  that  a  man  with  such  a  nature  must  always 
prove  a  good  friend,  deeming  nothing  too  irksome  in 
the  cause  of  friendship. 

As  time  went  on  it  must  be  admitted  that  his 
temperament  suffered  both  through  flattery  and  an- 
tagonism. He  hated  adulation  and  empty  praise,  and 
he  grew  in  course  of  time  unnecessarily  impatient  and 

162 


An  Ardent  Imperialist 

suspicious  of  commendation.  He  was  sometimes  unjust, 
too,  to  his  opponents.  His  whole  heart  was  centred 
in  the  progress  and  consoHdation  of  the  Empire.  That 
was  the  object  of  his  every  move,  and  when  those 
who  differed  from  him  in  opinion  did  not  reahse  that 
his  almost  brutal  decisions  were  in  reality  far-seeing 
acts  of  brilliant  diplomacy,  he  conceived  that  a  per- 
sonal antagonism  actuated  their  opposition.  In  this 
he  was  often  mistaken.  When  he  discovered  his  error 
he  was  always  generous,  but  his  very  sincerity  of  pur- 
pose sometimes  obscured  his  judgment. 

How  much  more  could  not  one  say  of  Bismarck  ? 
He  was  truly  a  man — the  great  man  of  his  time.  He 
was  essential  in  the  making  of  the  Empire,  but  he  was 
no  ruthless  despot.  Rather  should  he  go  down  in  his- 
tory as  a  kindly-hearted,  fireside-loving  man  thrust  by 
the  exigencies  of  life  into  a  position  where  the  brilliant 
genius  of  his  constructive  power,  the  magnificent 
wideness  of  his  imperial  ideas,  his  wonderful  know- 
ledge of  human  nature,  were  forced  out  in  the  service 
of  his  country  to  make  of  him  a  patriot  and  a  builder 
of  Empire,  the  like  of  whom  Europe  has  never  seen. 


163 


c 


CHAPTER  XVI 

COUNT   VON    MOLTKE    AND    A    FEW    MILITARY   MEN 

OUNT   VON   MOLTKE   had   been   chief  of  Staff 


to  my  father-in-law  at  the  time  the  latter  was 
in  command  of  an  Army  Corps  at  Magdeburg,  and 
since  that  time  he  had  always  been  on  terms  of  great 
friendship  with  the  whole  Radziwill  family.  I  was 
introduced  to  him  almost  immediately  after  my  mar- 
riage, and  he  was  extremely  kind  to  me.  It  seems 
that  I  was  like  his  wife,  an  Englishwoman  who 
had  died  quite  young,  and  whom  he  had  passionately 
loved. 

The  Field-Marshal  was  a  tall  and  lean  old  man, 
whose  head  was  quite  bald,  and  who  used  to  wear  a 
wig — which  could  not  possibly  be  taken  for  any- 
thing else— mainly  in  order  to  prevent  himself  from 
catching  cold.  Moltke  himself  was  the  driest  man  I 
ever  met  in  my  life.  His  thoughts  resembled  a  mathe- 
matical problem.  He  has  been  called  in  France  "  le 
grand  silencieux,"  and  in  a  certain  sense  he  deserved 
the  appellation.  But  he  was  something  more  than 
that ;  he  was  a  great  thinker,  inexorable  in  his  decisions, 
never  giving  his  attention  to  anything  else  save  what 
he  considered  to  be  his  duty. 

I  do  not  think  that  he  ever  felt  an  emotion  of  any 
kind  in  his  life,   except  the  affection  which  he  bore 

164 


William  I.  and  von  Moltke 

his  wife.  He  remained  entirely  unmoved  on  the  day 
when,  before  the  walls  of  Sedan,  he  discussed  the  con- 
ditions under  which  the  French  army  had  to  capitu- 
late. Certainly  he  rejoiced  at  the  result,  though  only 
as  at  the  solution  of  a  problem  at  which  he  had 
worked  for  a  long  time.  He  exhibited  not  an  atom  of 
pride  at  the  great  deeds  performed  by  the  army  which 
he  commanded.  To  him  the  army  was  but  a  machine, 
and  as  such  he  had  used  it. 

I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  a  great  patriot, 
but  I  am  certain  that  he  was  a  man  desirous  of  the 
triumph  of  his  country  over  its  foes,  and  who  had 
worked  untiringly  to  prepare  and  to  assure  that 
triumph.  When  its  hour  struck  at  last,  it  left  him 
unmoved,  because  he  could  not  feel  any  anxiety  as 
to  the  issue  of  a  struggle  for  which  he  knew  that, 
thanks  to  him,  Prussia  was  entirely  and  admirably 
prepared.  He  directed  the  army  which  he  commanded 
with  an  impassivity  of  which  few  mortals  would  have 
been  capable ;  and  when,  after  the  capitulation  of 
Paris,  William  I.  thanked  him  in  grateful  words  for 
the  part  which  he  had  had  in  the  triumph  of  his 
armies,  the  Field-Marshal  replied  in  a  dry  tone  that 
"  things  could  not  have  been  otherwise,  and  that  it 
was  not  he  whom  one  had  to  thank,  but  all  those 
who  had  obeyed  the  orders  which  he  had  given  them." 

In  that  phrase,  which  was  perhaps  the  longest  he 
ever  uttered,  he  explained  many  things.  Moltke  was 
not  one  of  those  generals  who  inspire  enthusiasm  in 
their  soldiers.  He  was  not  popular  among  his  troops, 
but  they  respected  him.  They  knew  him  to  be  always 
just,    though    inexorable    whenever    military   discipline 

165 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

was  infringed,  and  they  knew,  too,  that  whilst  under 
his  orders  they  could  not  be  defeated.  It  was  mainly 
to  this  feeling,  more  than  to  anything  else,  that  the 
Prussian  army  owed  its  incomparable  triumphs. 
The  Field- Marshal,  though  fond  of  the  science  of 
war,  did  not  care  for  war  itself.  He  knew  that  in 
those  struggles  which  decide  the  fate  of  nations  vic- 
tory is  sometimes  harder  to  bear  than  defeat. 

He  was  accused  of  wishing  to  attack  France  for  a 
second  time,  but  I  do  not  think  that  the  accusation 
was  justified.  He  had  far  too  much  experience  of 
war ;  and  I  am  not  sure  whether  the  old  warrior,  in 
spite  of  his  stiffness  and  of  his  sternness,  was  not, 
after  all,  more  conscientious  than  Bismarck  the  diplo- 
mat, for  whom  no  means  were  too  bad  for  the  achieve- 
ment of  his  plans. 

Still,  despite  his  lack  of  emotionalism,  Moltke  was 
a  man  of  violent  likes  and  dislikes.  One  evening — it 
was  the  day  after  the  death  of  Gambetta  — I  was  dining 
with  some  friends  in  Berlin,  and  found  myself  placed 
next  to  Field-Marshal  von  Moltke  at  table.  The  con- 
versation turned  naturally  to  the  event  that  had  just 
taken  place  in  France,  and  I  asked  him  what  he  had 
thought  when  he  heard  of  the  death  of  the  great 
orator.  "  I  was  extremely  glad,"  he  replied  ;  "  just  as 
glad  as  I  was  when  I  heard  about  the  death  of  Skobeleff." 

I  shall  never  forget  the  confusion  of  Moltke  when 
I  told  him  that  the  Russian  general  was  a  relative 
of  mine. 

The  Field-Marshal  was,  before  everything,  a  soldier, 
and  diplomacy  was  an  art  that  always  remained  un- 
known to  him.     On  the  other  hand,  his  brother  in  arms 

166 


Marshal  von  Manteuffel 

and  rival— at  least  in  honours  and  dignities —Marshal 
von  Manteuffel,  was  essentially  a  diplomat,  in  spite 
of  the  military  successes  with  which  every  step  of 
his  career  was  accompanied. 

Baron  von  Manteuffel  was  the  only  man  in  Prussia 
who  dared  resist  Prince  Bismarck,  and  with  whom 
the  latter  felt  himself  compelled  to  reckon.  He  re- 
mained for  a  few  years  in  charge  of  the  administration 
of  the  provinces  of  Alsace  and  Lorraine,  and  he  showed 
considerable  tact  in  the  fulfilment  of  a  difficult  duty. 
He  was  a  cultured  man,  and  possessed  the  rare  gift  of 
being  able  to  look  at  things  and  at  events  through 
the  eyes  of  others.  His  impartiality  and  sense  of 
justice  were  quite  extraordinary.  When  he  was  ap- 
pointed governor  of  the  conquered  provinces,  he  was 
given  almost  unlimited  powers,  but  used  them  only  in 
a  spirit  of  conciliation  and  moderation.  He  shut  his 
eyes  to  all  that  he  thought  it  was  not  necessary  for 
him  to  see,  and  had  a  perfect  understanding  of  the 
feelings  of  bitterness  natural  to  those  over  whom 
he  ruled.  Though  a  fervent  admirer  of  Prince  Bis- 
marck, he  never  sympathised  with  his  methods,  nor 
with  the  means  which  he  used  in  order  to  attain  his 
ends. 

Marshal  von  Manteuffel  would  have  been  a  great 
strength  to  any  political  party  with  which  he  had  cared 
to  ally  himself,  but  one  of  his  great  qualities  consisted 
in  his  constant  refusal  to  lend  his  name  to  any  political 
faction  or  party.  He  contented  himself  all  his  life 
with  doing  his  duty  as  a  soldier. 


167 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE   REICHSTAG   AND    ITS    DIFFERENT   PARTIES 

IT  was  during  the  course  of  the  year  1873  that  the 
different  German  pohtical  parties  began  to  assume 
the  form  which  they  have  preserved  more  or  less  to 
the  present  day. 

It  was  also  about  this  time  that  an  opposition, 
serious  enough  to  embarrass  Prince  Bismarck,  was 
organised  against  him.  Bismarck,  when  he  began  his 
struggle  against  the  Catholic  clergy,  imagined  that  it 
would  win  him  the  sympathies  of  the  parliamentary 
faction  which  went  by  the  name  of  "  National  Liberals." 
I  think  he  made  a  mistake  in  that  respect.  The 
National  Liberals,  under  the  leadership  of  their  head, 
Eugen  Richter,  found  on  the  contrary  a  pretext  to 
attack  him  in  that  struggle,  and  though  he  succeeded 
in  winning  them  over  to  his  side  at  the  time  when 
the  famous  Falk  laws  were  presented  to  the  Chambers, 
it  is  also  certain  that  they  did  not  become  his  friends. 

Richter  was  a  very  .clever  man,  and  fully  able  to 
hold  his  own  against  the  Chancellor.  He  was,  more- 
over, a  calmer  man  than  the  Chancellor,  and  did  not 
bring  personal  animosities  to  bear  against  those  whom 
he  had  occasion  to  attack.  This  gave  the  more  weight 
to  his  acrid  criticisms.  His  party  was  numerous,  per- 
fectly disciplined,  and   possessed  many  sympathies  in 

168 


The  National  Liberals 

the  country.  Unfortunately,  it  too  often  made  the 
mistake  of  being  opportunist,  and  had  procured  the 
contempt  of  Prince  Bismarck,  whereby  it  lost  the  con- 
fidence of  a  number  of  its  adherents.  Nevertheless,  it 
was  considered  as  one  of  the  most  important  parties 
in  the  Reichstag,  and  generally  decided  the  fate  of 
the  bills  under  discussion. 

Bismarck,  though  he  detested  Richter,  nevertheless 
frequently  made  use  of  his  influence,  and  often  made 
concessions  to  him  which  other  people  would  never 
have  obtained.  The  Chancellor  was  quite  aware  that 
in  every  matter  which  involved  the  progress  or  the 
welfare  of  Germany,  the  patriotic  feelings  of  the 
National  Liberal  party  would  lead  them  to  support 
the  Government.  It  was  principally  for  this  reason 
that  Bismarck  succeeded  in  keeping  the  majority 
which  he  wanted,  and  which  he  contrived  to  gather 
together  through  the  coalition  of  the  Conservatives 
with  the  followers  of  the  man  he  most  detested,  Eugen 
Richter. 

The  latter,  for  his  part,  knew  perfectly  well  how  to 
profit  by  the  exigencies  of  the  situation,  and  succeeded 
in  his  turn  in  obtaining  the  help  of  the  Government 
in  a  good  many  questions  he  had  at  heart.  The 
National  Liberals  always  set  conditions  to  their  acquies- 
cence in  any  governmental  measure.  The  Conserva- 
tives, on  the  other  hand,  followed  blindly  any  instruc- 
tions which  the  Wilhelmstrasse  chose  to  give  them. 

This  group  was  mostly  composed  of  large  land- 
owners and  of  members  of  the  highest  aristocracy  of 
the  country.  The  Princes  of  Hatzfeld  de  Trachen- 
berg,    Carolath-Beuthen,    Pless,    and    Hohenlohe,    the 

169 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Dukes  of  Ratibor  and  Ujest,  the  Counts  of  Hochberg 
and  Henckel,  who  all  had  seats  in  the  Prussian 
Upper  House,  were  also  deputies  in  the  Reichstag  of 
the  Empire ;  they  largely  constituted  the  majority 
upon  which  the  Government  could  always  rely,  and 
which  it  knew  very  well  would  remain  loyal.  It  was 
a  party  that  was  submissive  to  the  rulers  of  the 
country,  but  not  disciplined.  It  sedulously  sought  its 
own  interests  and  its  own  advantages,  and  they  were 
pecuniary.  The  Chancellor,  therefore,  though  he  was 
certain  that  it  would  always  support  him  and  his 
policy,  had  neither  confidence  nor  esteem  for  it,  and 
treated  it  without  the  least  consideration  or  respect. 

The  Centre  or  Catholic  party  constituted  the  only 
serious  adversary  in  the  path  of  Bismarck,  and  he 
never  ceased  to  struggle  against  it.  That  party  had 
one  immense  advantage  :  it  possessed  for  leaders  men 
of  the  highest  merit,  eloquent  orators,  and  most  able 
politicians.  Dr.  Mallinckrodt,  who  was  at  its  head 
for  a  long  time,  was  a  brilliant  speaker,  perhaps  the 
only  man  in  the  whole  Centre  party  who  clearly  under- 
stood and  properly  appreciated  the  new  political 
system  which  was  inaugurated  when  the  new  German 
Empire  was  proclaimed  at  Versailles.  His  convictions 
were  always  sincere,  and  not  like  those  of  Dr.  Wind- 
horst, for  instance,  subordinated  to  dynastic  considera- 
tions or  to  personal  sympathies. 

Unfortunately,  Mallinckrodt  died  at  a  relatively 
early  age,  at  the  very  moment  when  his  political  influ- 
ence was  at  its  height,  and  when  his  reputation  for 
moderation  began  to  be  known  everywhere,  and  to  be 
appreciated  even  by  his  political  enemies.     After  death 

170 


Dr.  Windhorst  and  Bismarck 

had  removed  him  from  the  poUtical  arena  there  re- 
mained no  one  capable  of  taking  the  place  which  he 
had  filled  so  worthily  except  Dr.  Windhorst,  the 
former  Minister  of  the  late  King  George  of  Hanover. 
Windhorst,  however,  had  the  disadvantage  of  mixing 
his  Guelph  sympathies  in  all  the  questions  which  he 
was  obliged  to  discuss.  His  ambition  was  colossal,  and 
his  secret  desire  was  to  obtain  the  portfolio  of  a  Prussian 
Minister,  notwithstanding  his  Hanoverian  associations. 
He^was  a  marvellous  political  tactician  and  an  un- 
rivalled orator.  He  transformed  the  Centre  into  a 
disciplined  force,  drilled  it  into  absolute  obedience, 
and  never  allowed  the  personal  hesitations  or  scruples 
of  his  followers  to  interfere  with  his  plans. 

It  is  likely  that  if  he  had  been  in  the  place  of  Prince 
Bismarck  he  would  have  shown  himself  far  more 
authoritative  than  the  Chancellor  himself,  because 
this  small  man  had  attacks  of  impatience  which  were 
almost  humorous.  He  never  allowed  any  of  his  de- 
cisions to  be  discussed  ;  he  never  admitted  that  one 
of  his  partisans  could  vote  otherwise  than  he  had 
ordered  him  to  do.  I  have  more  than  once  witnessed 
his  rage  when  some  undisciplined  member  of  his  party 
dared  to  utter  an  opinion  different  from  the  one  which 
he  had  professed.  He  was  most  amusing  to  watch  at 
such  moments ;  he  threw  up  his  small  hands,  brushed 
aside  his  solitary  lock  of  hair,  and  gave  unrestrained 
sway  to  his  rage. 

I  remember  once  having  witnessed  in  the  corridors 
of  the  Reichstag  a  discussion  between  Windhorst  and 
a  Socialist  deputy.  The  latter  was  uneasy  about 
rumours   which   were    circulating    at    the   time    of    a 

171 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

reconciliation  between  the  Roman  Curia  and  the  Ger- 
man Government,  and  he  was  asking  the  leader  of 
the  Centre  whether,  in  case  this  reconciliation  took 
place,  the  Socialists  could  still  reckon  on  the  support 
which  the  Catholics  had  up  to  then  given  them.  "  You 
would  probably  be  on  the  side  of  the  Government 
against  us,"  he  added  sadly.  "  I  ?  "  retorted  Wind- 
horst. "  Why  do  you  wish  me  to  support  a  Govern- 
ment of  which  I  am  not  a  member  ?  " 

At  this  time  the  Reichstag  possessed  no  disinter- 
ested or  honest  leaders,  and,  with  few  exceptions,  no 
members  capable  of  appreciating  the  importance  of 
their  position.  The  Chancellor  despised  the  Assembly, 
and  he  was  right  to  do  so.  Nevertheless,  it  is  regret- 
table that  Bismarck  allowed  these  men,  who  were 
dwarfs  in  comparison  with  himself,  to  annoy  him,  and 
still  more  that  he  did  not  hide  it  from  them.  He  would 
have  saved  himself  much  trouble  had  he  only  been  able 
to  control  his  temper  and  to  avoid  unnecessary  quarrels 
which  were  harmful  to  his  dignity  as  well  as  to  that 
of  the  Reichstag. 

At  the  time  when  the  Chancellor  inaugurated  the 
anti-Russian  policy  which  he  followed  for  awhile,  and 
wanted  to  expel  all  foreign  subjects  living  within  a 
certain  distance  from  the  frontier,  he  took  steps  which 
excited  an  immense  amount  of  indignation.  The 
measure  was  eagerly  seized  upon  by  Dr.  Windhorst 
and  his  party  in  order  to  bring  about  a  motion  of 
censure  in  the  Reichstag  against  the  Chancellor,  and 
to  challenge  the  legality  of  his  conduct.  Public  opinion, 
of  course,  sided  against  the  Minister,  and  the  day  upon 
which  the   measure  was  to  be  discussed  was  eagerly 

172 


A  Thunderbolt  from  the  Emperor 

awaited.  It  was  known  that  several  members  of  the 
Bundesrath  or  Federal  Council  were  strongly  opposed 
to  the  application  of  the  Imperial  ordinance  with 
which  the  unpopular  measure  had  been  heralded.  The 
debate,  which  was  expected  would  follow  upon  the 
proposal  of  Dr.  Windhorst  to  remonstrate  with  the 
Government  as  to  the  illegality  of  the  proceedings 
taken,  was  looked  forward  to  with  lively  interest,  and 
on  the  day  when  it  took  place  I  do  not  believe  there 
was  even  standing  room  in  any  of  the  galleries  of  the 
Reichstag.  I  arrived  early,  so  as  to  get  a  good  seat 
in  the  diplomatic  box,  where  I  generally  went  to  listen 
to  the  debates. 

We  had  not  to  wait  very  long  before  Prince  Bis- 
marck, followed  by  all  the  members  of  the  Bundesrath, 
entered  the  House.  He  walked  to  the  tribune,  and 
waited  until  the  first  deputy  whose  name  was  down 
on  the  list  of  speakers  advanced  towards  it.  Then, 
quietly  brushing  him  aside  with  a  gesture  of  his  left 
hand,  he  ascended  himself,  and  slowly  taking  a  paper 
out  of  his  pocket  and  turning  his  bulky  figure  so 
that  one  could  see  he  was  addressing  himself  to  the 
President  more  than  to  the  deputies,  over  whose 
heads  he  looked  with  absolute  disdain  :  "I  have  a 
gracious  message  from  His  Majesty  to  communicate 
to  the  House,"  he  said.  He  then  proceeded  to  read 
its  contents.  These  were  brief  enough,  and  simply 
stated  that  the  Emperor,  having  been  apprised  of  the 
intention  of  the  Reichstag  to  discuss  certain  meas- 
ures he  had  taken  in  his  quality  of  King  of  Prussia, 
saw  fit  to  remind  the  House  that,  as  King  of  Prussia, 
he  was  an  independent  Sovereign,  responsible  for  his 

173 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

actions  only  before  the  Prussian  Houses  of  Legislature, 
and  that  the  Reichstag  of  the  Empire  had  no  right 
to  challenge  them. 

A  dead  silence  was  their  reply  to  this  communica- 
tion, and  it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to  describe 
the  consternation  that  fell  upon  the  assembled  House. 
Prince  Bismarck  folded  the  paper  slowly  and  walked 
down  the  steps  of  the  tribune.  Midway  he  stopped, 
and  addressed  himself  once  more  to  the  President : 
*'  I  suppose  the  House  will  thank  His  Majesty  for 
his  gracious  communication  to  it,"  he  said,  and  the 
most  ironical  of  smiles  flitted  over  his  usually  impas- 
sive face.  Then,  without  turning  round  to  look  at 
the  unfortunate  victims  whom  he  had  so  ruthlessly 
crushed,  he  turned  and  went  out  of  the  House. 

The  Socialists  had  not  at  that  time  obtained  the 
great  successes  which  they  achieved  a  few  years  later, 
when  their  party  became  so  powerful  that  the  Govern- 
ment was  compelled  to  consider  it  as  a  deciding 
factor,  or  almost  so,  in  any  resolutions  put  forward. 
During  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  William  I.  the 
number  of  their  deputies  never  exceeded  fourteen. 
Nevertheless,  their  party  attracted  much  attention, 
as  well  as  its  leader,  the  famous  Bebel,  who  died  last 
year.  The  latter  possessed  singular  eloquence,  and  not 
only  understood  how  to  impress  the  masses,  but  also 
to  shake  the  opinions  and  judgments  of  his  political 
adversaries. 

It  was  not  possible  to  hsten  with  indifference  to 
Bebel  when  he  was  speaking  on  the  miseries  of  suffer- 
ing humanity,  and  one  had  the  intuition  that  he  was 
telling  the  truth,  and  not  trying  to  rouse  the  pity  of 

174 


Bebel,  the  Socialist 

his  audience  upon  imaginary  woes.  When  he  was 
appeahng  to  the  feehngs  of  justice  and  humanity 
of  the  German  people,  and  imploring  it  not  to  allow 
some  of  its  children  to  be  made  outlaws  on  account 
of  their  political  opinions,  one  could  not  help  thinking 
of  those  prophets  of  old  whom  the  Bible  tells  us  were 
aware  of  the  punishments  which  would  be  dealt  in  the 
hereafter  to  all  those  who  had  forgotten  the  orders 
of  their  Lord  in  this  life.  Bebel  was  essentially 
an  idealist,  and  this  constituted  perhaps  his  greatest 
strength,  and  allowed  him  to  keep  his  influence  over 
the  working  population  of  the  Empire.  He  was  a 
demagogue,  but  he  was  also  a  man  of  order,  who 
detested  anarchy  and  repudiated  its  doctrine.  In  his 
opinion  liberty  stood  above  everything  else,  except 
the  German  Fatherland ;  and  whilst  he  was  continually 
fighting  against  Prince  Bismarck,  he  was  neverthe- 
less ready  to  become,  at  need,  one  of  the  soldiers 
enlisted  under  his  banner. 

He  never  used  his  eloquence  in  order  to  excite 
the  evil  passions  of  the  crowd.  He  was  a  first-rate 
organiser  and  a  rigid  disciplinarian.  He  never  allowed 
his  partisans  to  discuss  the  orders  which  he  issued, 
and  exacted  from  them  the  same  obedience  a  general 
requires  from  his  soldiers.  He  ruled  his  party  with 
an  iron  hand,  and  drilled  it  into  an  absolute  submis- 
sion not  only  to  his  directions,  but  also  to  his  thoughts. 
In  this  he  imitated  the  great  Minister  against  whom 
he  never  ceased  fighting  so  long  as  the  latter  remained 
the  supreme  ruler  of  German  politics. 

Bebel  remained  the  soul  of  the  Socialist  party  for 
many  years.     When,  later,  new  men  came  forward,  the 

175 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

old  veteran  began  to  lose  some  of  his  importance  in 
the  eyes  of  his  former  partisans,  whilst  new  members 
of  the  party  regarded  him  as  a  relic  of  the  past 
rather  than  as  a  chief  likely  to  lead  his  followers  to 
victory.  The  ideas  preconised  by  Bebel  have  served 
their  time  in  Germany,  and  I  cannot  help  thinking 
that  he  himself  must  have  more  than  once  deplored 
the  transformation  manifest  in  the  opinions  of  the 
generation  which  replaced  his  own.  Nevertheless,  his 
removal  from  the  political  scene  will  always  leave  a 
void  in  the  Reichstag,  where  he  caused  his  party  to 
be  respected.  Respect  is  not  the  feeling  which  Social- 
ism inspires  to-day  in  Germany. 


176 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE    DIPLOMATIC    CORPS 

DIPLOMACY  used  to  play  a  very  important  part 
in  social  life  at  the  time  of  my  marriage. 
Both  the  Emperor  and  the  Empress  were  extremely 
gracious  to  the  representatives  which  the  foreign  Courts 
sent  to  Berlin  ;  and  the  Ambassadors,  as  well  as  the 
Ministers  who  resided  in  the  Prussian  capital,  found 
themselves  the  objects  of  flattering  attention.  The 
Embassies,  too,  opened  their  doors  to  Berlin  society; 
and  invitations  to  the  balls  which  Lord  Russell,  the 
English  Ambassador,  and  Count  Karolyi,  the  Austrian 
representative,  used  to  give  each  winter  were  sought 
after  with  particular  eagerness. 

Lord  Odo  Russell,  who  was  later  known  as  Lord 
Ampthill,  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of 
all  British  diplomats.  Those  who  met  him  will 
remember  to  this  day  his  unfailing  tact  and  ability. 
During  his  long  sojourn  in  the  German  capital  he  con- 
trived to  remain  always  upon  the  best  and  most  cordial 
terms  with  Prince  Bismarck,  and  at  the  same  time, 
though  it  may  sound  remarkable,  the  most  trusted 
friend,  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess.  In  politics 
his  knowledge  was  as  wide  as  it  was  deep,  and  his 
appreciation  of  the  world  in  which  he  lived  and  moved 
was  perfectly  wonderful.  He  was  never  at  fault  in 
M  177 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

anything  he  undertook  to  do,  and  never  felt  embar- 
rassed, no  matter  in  what  difficult  position  his  duties 
involved  him. 

He  was  married  to  one  of  the  daughters  of  Lord 
Clarendon,  who  had  held  the  post  of  Foreign  Secre- 
tary during  the  reign  of  Queen  Victoria,  and  he  found 
in  her  a  companion  fully  worthy  of  him  and  a  help- 
meet devoted  as  well  as  discerning,  whose  charm  con- 
tributed a  good  deal  to  his  own  successes.  Berlin,  I 
think,  has  never  possessed  a  diplomat  of  Lord  Odo's 
ability,  nor  one  more  thoroughly  popular  in  society. 
I  have  never  ceased  to  regret  that  death  carried  him 
away  before  the  Emperor  Frederick's  illness,  for  I 
feel  certain  that,  had  he  been  still  alive,  many  of  the 
regrettable  incidents  which  occurred  at  that  time 
would  have  been  avoided. 

The  lovely  Countess  Fanny  Karolyi,  the  wife  of 
the  Austrian  Ambassador,  was  a  wonderful  hostess, 
and  delighted  in  entertaining.  Her  husband,  however, 
did  not  always  share  her  tastes  in  this  respect,  though 
during  the  time  that  the  Berlin  Congress  lasted,  her 
house  served  as  a  meeting-place  for  all  the  foreign 
plenipotentiaries  who  had  gathered  in  the  German 
capital. 

Russia  at  that  time  was  represented  by  Baron 
d'Oubril,  an  amiable  little  man,  who  appeared  but  little 
in  society  after  the  tragic  death  of  his  wife,  who  was 
drowned  whilst  bathing  in  one  of  the  lakes  near  Pots- 
dam. The  Baron  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being  a 
very  able  diplomat,  but  he  belonged  to  an  old  school, 
and  could  not  quite  accommodate  himself  to  the 
system  introduced  by  Bismarck. 

178 


Some  Famous  Ambassadors 

After  the  Congress  he  retired,  and  his  place  was 
taken  up  by  M.  Sabouroff,  who  very  soon  quarrelled 
with  the  Chancellor.  In  fact,  the  relations  between 
the  Berlin  Cabinet  and  that  of  St.  Petersburg  became 
and  remained  more  and  more  strained,  until  the 
appointment  of  Count  Paul  Schouvaloff,  whose  tact 
and  diplomatic  knowledge  succeeded  in  re-establish- 
ing on  its  former  footing  the  old  and  traditional  in- 
timacy which  had  existed  between  the  Royal  House 
of  Prussia  and  the  Imperial  House  of  Russia. 

Italy,  whose  legation  was  raised  about  this  time  to 
the  dignity  of  an  embassy,  was  represented  by  Count 
de  Launay,  a  clever  and  charming  man,  though  un- 
fortunately his  wife,  an  exceedingly  cultured  woman, 
was  almost  stone  deaf. 

The  Belgian  and  Prussian  Royal  Families  had 
always  been  upon  intimate  terms,  and  this  intimacy 
had  been  strengthened  by  the  marriage  of  the  Princess 
Marie  of  Hohenzollern  with  the  Count  of  Flanders, 
the  brother  of  King  Leopold.  The  Belgian  representa- 
tive was  Baron  Nothomb,  a  statesman  of  high  stand- 
ing and  great  experience,  who  had  played  a  consider- 
able part  in  the  recent  history  of  his  country  previous 
to  the  election  to  its  throne  of  the  Saxe-Coburg 
dynasty.  The  Baron  and  his  wife  entertained  very 
often,  and  their  weekly  receptions  were  attended  by 
everybody  of  note  in  Berlin,  in  spite  of  their  dullness 
and  solemnity.  The  Baron  was  a  great  favourite  with 
Prince  Bismarck,  who  often  confided  political  secrets 
to  him  and  discussed  them  with  him.  This  preroga- 
tive assured  the  Belgian  representative  a  special  posi- 
tion among  his  colleagues. 

179 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

France  was  represented  by  Vicomte  de  Gontaut 
Biron.  He  had  been  entrusted  with  the  difficult  task 
of  renewing  diplomatic  relations  with  the  German 
Court  after  the  war  of  1870,  relations  which  had  been 
interrupted  for  almost  two  years.  The  Vicomte  was 
an  accomplished  man  of  the  world,  with  the  courteous 
manners  characteristic  of  the  select  society  among 
which  his  lot  was  cast.  His  patriotism  was  above 
suspicion,  but  his  intelligence  was  not  above  the 
average,  nor  was  he  strong  enough  to  hold  his  own 
in  presence  of  Prince  Bismarck,  whom,  moreover,  he 
had  the  misfortune  to  offend  on  the  very  day  of  his 
arrival  at  Berlin. 

M.  de  Gontaut  Biron  had  ties  of  relationship  in 
Germany.  He  was  allied  to  the  Duke  de  Sagan  and 
to  my  sister-in-law,  and  he  made  the  mistake  of  trying 
to  use  them  in  order  to  consolidate  his  official  posi- 
tion. He  took  pains  to  get  into  the  good  books  of 
the  Empress  Augusta,  and  of  her  maid,  Mile,  von  Neum- 
dorff,  but  unfortunately  failed  to  realise  that,  although 
his  social  standing  was  becoming  firmer  every  day,  his 
political  one  was  getting  more  compromised  daily  on 
that  very  account.  Gossip  soon  represented  him  as 
being  in  a  state  of  open  hostility  to  the  Chancellor, 
and  after  the  false  rumours  about  a  renewed  attack 
on  France  that  were  put  into  circulation  during  the 
spring  of  1875,  his  position  in  Berlin  became  quite 
impossible. 

His  successor  was  the  Count  de  St.  Vallier,  one  of 
the  ablest  diplomats  that  France  possessed  at  that 
time.  The  Count  became  one  of  my  closest  friends, 
and  long  after  his  death  I  remained  on  most  affection- 

180 


An  Estimate  of  Disraeli 

ate  terms  with  his  old  parents,  the  Marquis  and  the 
Marquise  de  St.  ValHer,  whom  I  used  to  visit  every 
autumn  at  their  historic  home,  the  castle  of  Coucy 
les  Eppes. 

Berlin,    during   the   time   that    I   lived    there,    was 
the    political    centre    of    the   world,   and   I   thus   had 
an  opportunity  to  become  acquainted  with  the  most 
famous    diplomats    then    alive.     During    the    Congress 
that    followed    upon    the    conclusion    of   the    peace    of 
San  Stefano  between  Russia  and  Turkey,  I  got  to  know 
Lord  Beaconsfield  (Disraeli,   as  some  people  still  per- 
sisted in  calling  him),  and  I  must  own  to  have  fallen 
entirely  under  his  charm.     As  a  Russian  I  was  natur- 
ally  prejudiced   against   him.     He   represented   to   my 
imagination   the   incarnation    of   everything   that    was 
bad,    mischievous    and    destructive  ;     and    before   ever 
I  knew  him  I  detested  him  as  a  parvenu,  and  a  man 
to  whom  my  country  had  owed  some  of  its  bitterest 
humiliations.     But    when    I    became    acquainted    with 
him    all    my    prejudices    melted    like    snow   in   spring- 
time.   A  more  fascinating  man  than  Lord  Beaconsfield 
never   breathed.     From    the    first    moment    of  intro- 
duction  one   understood   the   reason   of  his   numerous 
successes,    and    accepted    them    as    something    quite 
natural.     He  possessed  that  great  charm  which  belongs 
only   to   people    possessing   the    utmost    confidence    in 
their  own  individuality  and  in  their  personal  strength. 
He   was   imbued,   too,    with   the   consciousness   of  the 
power  which  he  wielded,  as  well  as  an  inbred  certainty 
that  he  would  always  succeed  in  doing  what  he  wanted. 
His  conversation  was  a  joy  to  listen  to,  for  he  had  a 
dry  manner  of  saying  the  most  funny  things  that  was 

181 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

quite  inimitable,  and,  thanks  to  his  profound  know- 
ledge of  the  world,  he  never  committed  the  error  of 
relating  an  anecdote  before  those  by  whom  it  would 
not  have  been  appreciated.  He  knew  well  the  diplo- 
matic value  of  flattery,  and  administered  it  with  tact 
and  discernment.  He  was  fond  of  contradicting  people, 
but  only  to  give  them  the  pleasure  of  thinking  they 
had  converted  him  to  their  own  opinions.  A  lady 
reminding  him  once  of  a  discussion  which  they  had 
had,  added,  "  I  still  think  that  I  was  right."  "  My 
dear  lady,"  replied  Dizzy,  "  you  could  never  be  wrong." 

Lord  Beaconsfield  liked  what  the  French  call  "  les 
coups  de  theatre."  I  think  that  he  never  enjoyed 
anything  more  than  the  thunderbolt  which  startled 
the  world  when  it  heard  of  his  secret  treaty  with  Russia 
concerning  Batoum,  and  with  Turkey  concerning  the 
cession  of  Cyprus  to  England.  I  remember  meeting 
him  on  that  day  at  a  reception  given  by  Countess 
Karolyi.  He  walked  quietly  into  the  room  with  a 
sphinx-like  expression  on  his  face,  and  I  could  not 
help  asking  him  what  he  was  thinking  of.  "I  am 
not  thinking,"  he  replied  ;    "I  am  enjoying  myself." 

The  Hungarian  uniform  worn  by  Count  Andrassy 
attracted  much  attention  during  the  Berlin  Congress. 
In  the  first  place,  the  Count,  after  having  been  sen- 
tenced to  death  by  his  Sovereign,  had  become  his 
Prime  Minister.  But  apart  from  that,  he  was  an 
extremely  brilliant  man  and  a  very  able  diplomat. 
He  had  an  extraordinary  talent  for  coming  out  of  a 
difficult  position  with  advantage,  but  I  doubt  if  he  pos- 
sessed that  broad  outlook  or  prevision  which,  seeking 
advantage  in  the   future,   does   not   hesitate   to  sacri- 

182 


Metamorphosed  Germany 

fice  the  present  in  order  to  attain  it.  Had  he  been 
in  the  place  of  Bismarck,  for  instance,  he  would  have 
marched  on  Vienna  after  the  victory  of  Sadowa. 

I  doubt  if  Berlin  is  as  interesting  to-day  as  in  those 
early  days.  The  German  Empire  has  now  organised 
itself ;  but  when  I  arrived  at  the  Court  of  William  I., 
Germany  was  still  busy  getting  into  her  new  place 
in  Europe.  Old  manners  and  customs  have  now  dis- 
appeared, together  with  the  small,  narrow,  and  un- 
wholesome houses  of  half  a  century  ago.  But  does 
this  mean  that  one  feels  happier  in  the  big  barracks 
which  grace  the  principal  streets  of  Berlin  to-day  ? 
Even  the  old  cathedral,  where  Prussian  monarchs  used 
to  worship,  and  where  they  slept  their  last,  has  been 
done  away  with,  and  replaced  by  a  new  church.  Every- 
thing has  been  transformed —the  men  as  well  as  their 
customs.  And  the  few  people  who  still  remember  the 
good  old  times  begin  to  ask  themselves  whether,  after 
all,  they  were  not  a  dream. 


183 


CHAPTER  XIX 

PRINCE    VON    HOHENLOHE    AND    PRINCE   VON    BULOW 

1KNEW  Prince  Clevis  von  Hohenlohe  and  Prince 
von  Billow  very  well  indeed.  The  former  was  a 
statesman  without  being  a  politician.  He  was  too 
much  of  a  grand  seigneur  to  care  for  politics  in  the 
sense  of  a  career,  for  they  could  add  nothing  to  his 
fame  ;  they  gave  nothing  in  exchange  for  the  labour 
they  would  cost.  But  Prince  von  Hohenlohe  was  a 
sincere  patriot,  and  sacrificed  much  to  his  love  for 
his  native  country.  He  was  courteous,  kind,  sincere, 
and  incapable  of  effecting  any  compromise  with  his 
conscience  as  Prince  Bismarck  so  often  did. 

He  became  Chancellor  of  the  German  Empire  at  a 
critical  time,  succeeding  General  Caprivi  on  the  very 
day  of  the  death  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  III.  of 
Russia.  It  was  felt,  however,  throughout  the  whole 
of  Germany  that  his  assumption  of  the  post  entrusted 
to  him  by  the  Emperor  was  a  guarantee  of  peace, 
and  that  his  vast  experience  would  prove  a  restraining 
influence  in  any  complications  that  might  arise. 

Prince  Hohenlohe  was  perhaps  the  most  respected 
personality  in  Germany  at  this  time.  He  had  given 
proofs  of  his  high  integrity  ;  and  it  would  have  been 
impossible  to  find  a  better  guide  for  his  Sovereign, 
with  whom,  by  the  way,  he  was  connected  by^marriage, 

184 


Contrasted  Personalities 

the  mother  of  the  present  Empress  being  Princess  of 
Hohenlohe. 

Prince  Clovis  was  a  small  man,  whose  figure  was 
slightly  bent  even  in  his  young  days.  He  spoke  softly, 
he  moved  softly,  and  gave  one  the  impression  of  being 
a  very  highly  cultured  person,  which  indeed  he  was. 
His  was  not  a  warlike  spirit,  and  if  all  that  is  related 
can  be  believed,  he  tried  to  imbue  the  Emperor  with 
his  own  personal  horror  of  war.  He  had  a  keen  in- 
sight, and  observed  humanity  as  closely  and  as 
well  as  he  observed  events,  with  the  result  that  no 
one  had  a  better  knowledge  of  the  secret  history  of 
Europe. 

Prince  Hohenlohe  had  no  personal  ambition,  no 
love  for  popularity,  and  no  desire  for  the  approval  of 
the  masses.  He  was  in  no  sense  the  man  of  his  time, 
but  he  succeeded  in  imposing  himself,  as  well  as  his 
opinions  and  ideas,  on  those  who  belonged  to  it. 

In  his  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  Empire 
he  showed  the  same  wisdom  he  had  displayed  in 
Alsace-Lorraine,  and  as  German  Ambassador  in  Paris, 
where  he  contrived  to  smooth  away  many  difficulties 
and  to  relieve  the  tension  caused  by  the  Franco- 
German  war. 

When  he  retired  from  office  it  was  regretted  every- 
where, and  perhaps  even  more  abroad  than  in  his 
own  country. 

As  for  Prince  von  Biilow,  he  was  a  very  different 
type  of  man  and  perhaps  less  conscientious.  Though 
he  cared  more  for  personal  matters  than  Prince  Clovis, 
he  cared  less  how  events  affected  his  own  future,  being 
a  gambler  who  had  taught  himself  how  to  lose  as  well  as 

185 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

how  to  win.  Few  people  have  fallen  from  a  high 
position  with  more  philosophy,  or  have  given  up 
political  life  with  more  equanimity.  But  then  the 
mind  of  Prince  von  Biilow  was  able  to  rise  above  the 
petty  things  of  life  ;  he  knew  too  well  his  own  in- 
tellectual worth  to  feel  hurt  at  the  crowd's  lack  of 
appreciation.  In  his  Roman  retreat,  under  the  shade 
of  the  old  trees  of  the  Villa  Malta,  he  has  cause  to 
remember  with  pride,  but  without  regret,  those  distant 
days  when  he  held  the  direction  of  German  politics  in 
the  hollow  of  his  hand. 

Prince  Biilow  is  a  very  clever  man — ^this  is  a  fact 
generally  admitted.  Yet  with  all  the  opportunities  he 
has  had  to  achieve  great  things,  he  has  somehow 
missed  doing  so.  His  activity,  great  as  it  was,  has 
proved  barren,  and  he  is  remembered  by  the  German 
public  less  than  are  General  Caprivi  or  Prince  Hohen- 
lohe,  to  whom  he  was  vastly  superior  in  intellect. 

As  a  man  of  the  world.  Prince  Biilow  was  one  of 
the  pleasantest  gentlemen  it  has  ever  been  my  for- 
tune to  know.  He  was  well  read,  had  charming 
manners,  a  very  keen,  observing  eye,  whilst  his  sar- 
casms were  delightful.  There  was,  perhaps,  a  shade 
of  affectation  in  the  way  he  had  of  talking  about  in- 
tellectual subjects  ;  but  I  think  that  this  was  more 
the  fault  of  the  surroundings  amid  which  he  had 
spent  his  early  youth  than  that  of  his  character  or 
temperament.  At  the  time  he  entered  society  there 
existed  in  Berlin  a  certain  small  coterie  in  which  he 
found  himself  entangled,  for  whom  Wagner  was  as  a 
god  and  Schopenhauer  was  considered  as  his  prophet. 
Biilow,   or  young  Biilow  as  one  used   to  call   him  at 

186 


Billow's  Secret  Ambition 

the  time,  fell  entirely  under  the  influence  of  this 
coterie,  and  began  talking  as  well  and  as  much  as 
did  other  members  of  this  circle  about  the  theories  of 
the  Frankfurt  philosopher.  In  this  direction  he  dis- 
played his  marvellous  power  of  assimilation.  He  had 
a  knack  all  his  own  of  adroitly  avoiding  subjects  upon 
which  he  did  not  feel  quite  sure,  and,  too,  an  easy 
way  of  evading  the  revelation  of  what  he  really  be- 
lieved or  thought  about  any  particular  topic. 

With  ladies  Biilow  was  very  popular.  Men  liked 
him  less,  but  he  was  a  great  favourite  with  Prince 
Bismarck,  who  appreciated  his  many  and  varied  abil- 
ities. And  all  the  time  he  was  himself  paying  court 
to  the  Chancellor  he  never  lost  an  opportunity  of 
studying  the  latter,  or  of  keeping  an  eye  upon  his 
political  line  of  conduct,  in  view  of  the  day  when 
he  might  find  himself  called  to  become  the  successor 
of  that  great  man. 

Once,  when  he  still  held  the  position  of  secretary 
at  the  St.  Petersburg  Embassy,  under  General  von 
Schweinitz,  I  asked  him  casually  whether  he  would 
care  to  come  back  one  day  to  the  big  northern 
capital  in  the  character  of  an  Ambassador.  He  re- 
plied at  once  that  he  would  never  become  that,  but 
he  might  one  day  fill  the  place  which  his  father  had 
occupied,  and  which  then  belonged  to  Count  Paul 
Hatzfeld — that  of  Foreign  Secretary.  He  did  not  go 
so  far  as  to  say  that  he  might  become  Chancellor,  but 
I  am  sure  he  had  it  in  his  mind. 

Prince  Biilow  was  born  under  a  lucky  star,  but 
perhaps  the  luckiest  thing  which  happened  to  him 
was  his  marriage  with  the  beautiful  and  distinguished 

i87 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

woman  who  bears  his  name  at  the  present  day.  Prin- 
cess von  Billow,  who  is  an  Itahan  by  birth,  has  had 
the  best  of  influences  over  her  husband,  and  since  he 
married  her  he  has  lost  a  good  deal  of  his  former 
affectation. 

The  secret  of  the  influence  the  Princess  has  with 
him  lies  in  the  fact  that  she  knows  how  to  keep  the 
mind  of  her  husband  employed,  and  has  directed  its 
activity  towards  artistic  and  scientific  subjects,  thus  pre- 
venting him  from  mourning  the  loss  of  power.  Husband 
and  wife  are  both  fond  of  their  Roman  home,  and 
the  Princess,  owing  to  the  fact  that  she  is  the  step- 
daughter of  the  distinguished  statesman  M.  Minghetti, 
holds  an  exceptional  position  at  the  Italian  Court. 
Her  house  has  become  a  centre  for  the  intellectual 
society  of  Rome,  and  sometimes  — very  seldom  though — 
the  Prince  allows  himself  to  forget  his  role  as  a  modern 
Cincinnatus,  and  to  express  an  opinion  as  to  politics 
which  otherwise  he  affects  to  have  quite  forgotten. 

But  one  thing  he  regrets.  Though  he  managed  to 
overcome  many  of  the  prejudices  entertained  against 
him  in  various  quarters,  he  could  never  mould  the 
Emperor  William  II.  to  his  way  of  thinking,  nor  induce 
him  to  follow  the  lead  which  he  desired  him  to  take. 
This  is  the  only  crumpled  rose-leaf  that  disturbs  his 
slumbers.  He  realises  it  now,  and  he  regrets  it  the 
more,  that  he  had  allowed  certain  people  whom  he 
knew  well  to  guess  that  his  secret  ambition  was  to 
replace  Prince  Bismarck  at  the  side  of  the  third  German 
Emperor. 

William  II.,  after  having  liked  him  extremely,  soon 
grew  very  impatient  with  him,  and  resented  the  authori- 

188 


William  II.  and  Biilow 

tative  manner  the  Prince  assumed  at  times.  When 
later  he  made  his  famous  speech  in  the  Reichstag, 
promising  that  the  Emperor  would  never  more  in- 
dulge in  public  manifestations  of  his  opinions  without 
having  first  consulted  his  Chancellor  or  the  responsible 
head  of  his  government,  he  mortally  offended  the 
Sovereign,  who  from  that  day  waited  for  the  first 
opportunity  to  dispense  with  the  services  of  a  man 
who  had  forgotten  to  be  grateful  for  the  favours  he 
had  lavished  upon  him. 

William  II.  did  not  have  to  wait  long.  The  day 
soon  dawned  when  Prince  von  Biilow  had  to  retire 
from  public  life,  and  was  made  to  feel  that  there  was 
no  forgiveness  for  him.  The  Emperor  William  II.  is 
not  a  man  to  forget  or  to  forgive.  But  Prince  Biilow 
has  no  wish  for  a  revanche ;  he  is  quite  happy  among 
his  roses,  looking  from  the  height  of  his  Villa  Malta 
on  the  glories  of  "  Roma  Aeterna,"  where  he  has  found 
a  rest  that  his  native  country,  had  he  remained  in  it, 
would  never  have  afforded  him. 

Let  us  leave  him  there,  a  philosopher  who  has 
never  studied  philosophy  ;  a  statesman  who  perhaps 
has  reason  to  feel  thankful  to  the  circumstances  that 
have  removed  him  from  the  political  arena. 


189 


CHAPTER  XX 

PRINCESS     VICTORIA 

1HAVE  deliberately  abstained  from  referring  earlier 
to  the  Empress  Victoria.  My  respect  for  her 
memory  compels  me  to  write  of  her  with  reverence 
and  at  some  length. 

The  Empress  has  never  been  given  the  place  in 
history  which  she  deserves  to  occupy.  Few  person- 
alities have  been  so  bitterly  discussed  as  that  of  the 
consort  of  Frederick  III.,  and  too  often  judged  without 
impartiality. 

Victoria  Adelaide  Mary  Louisa  was  born  in  London, 
at  Buckingham  Palace,  on  November  21st,  1840,  and 
was  the  first  child  of  the  marriage  of  Queen  Victoria 
with  Prince  Albert  of  Saxe-Coburg.  She  received 
almost  immediately  after  her  birth  the  title  of  Princess 
Royal  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  under  that 
name  she  was  always  thought  of  in  England. 

From  her  earliest  childhood  she  was  the  object  of 
her  father's  special  affection,  and  he  watched  with 
the  utmost  care  over  her  education. 

Gifted  with  the  rarest  qualities  of  heart  and  mind, 
she  was  very  soon  the  pride  of  her  parents  and  the 
idol  of  her  country.  In  her  letters  to  her  uncle,  King 
Leopold  of  Belgium,  Queen  Victoria  constantly  spoke 
of  "  Vicky,"  as  the  young  Princess  was  called  at  home, 

190 


Victoria's  Childhood 

and  related  the  progress  she  had  been  making  in  her 
studies.  The  Queen  brought  up  her  numerous  children 
to  be  strictly  obedient ;  indeed  she  was  almost  more 
a  Queen  than  a  mother  to  them.  Prince  Albert,  on  the 
contrary,  liked  to  be  familiar  with  his  children,  and 
established  an  intimacy  with  the  Princess  Royal 
closer  than  that  generally  existing  between  father  and 
daughter. 

The  Prince  more  than  once  found  himself  in  a 
false  and  delicate  position  on  account  of  the  suscepti- 
bilities of  the  British,  who  feared  the  possible  influ- 
ence he  might  exercise  over  the  Queen,  and  through 
her  over  English  politics.  The  situation  led  him  often 
to  say  that  the  position  of  a  husband  to  a  reigning 
Queen  reminded  him  of  that  of  the  Consort  of  a  King, 
except  that  it  had  none  of  its  advantages. 

It  was  under  the  influence  of  the  difficulties  of  his 
personal  position  that  Prince  Albert,  unknown  per- 
haps to  himself,  tried  to  train  his  eldest  daughter 
to  become  a  companion  likely  to  be  helpful  to  a 
Sovereign.  Truly  German  in  his  heart  and  sympathies, 
Prince  Albert  had  remained  German  also  in  his  habits 
and  tastes  ;  and  he  liked  to  think  that  his  daughter 
would  become  in  time  a  German  Sovereign,  and  take 
to  her  new  country  a  knowledge  of  English  methods 
of  government,  the  superiority  of  which  he  frankly 
admitted.  Accordingly  he  spent  a  great  deal  of  time 
teaching  his  daughter  kingcraft  and  other  subjects 
that  did  not,  at  that  time,  form  part  of  feminine 
education. 

When  the  Queen  went  to  Paris  to  see  the  Emperor 
Napoleon  III.  in  the  year  1855,  she  was  accompanied 

191 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

by  the  Prince  Consort,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  the 
Princess  Royal. 

It  was  then  that  the  latter  made  her  debut,  and 
she  always  remembered  all  the  details  of  this  memor- 
able visit.  A  few  months  later  she  was  betrothed  to 
Prince  Frederick  William  of  Prussia. 

Her  marriage  was  the  realisation  of  one  of  the 
dearest  and  most  secret  wishes  of  the  Prince  Consort, 
who  for  a  long  time  past  had  been  working  for  it  with 
his  friend  and  adviser,  Baron  Stockmar.  Both  men 
were  pietists  by  nature,  and  ever  since  the  birth  of  the 
Princess  Royal  they  had  nursed  the  secret  desire  to 
see  the  two  greatest  Protestant  dynasties  in  Europe 
united  by  matrimony.  Nevertheless,  it  is  to  be  doubted 
whether  these  desires  would  have  been  gratified  with- 
out the  sympathy  and  the  affection  that  the  Princess 
Victoria  and  the  future  Emperor  Frederick  felt  for 
each  other. 

A  letter  from  Queen  Victoria  has  given  us  details 
of  this  sweet  love  idyll,  which  developed  so  rapidly 
that  the  betrothal  of  the  young  couple,  although  it 
had  been  decided  to  keep  it  secret  for  a  year,  had  to 
be  announced  at  once,  owing  to  the  impatience  of  the 
Prince,  who,  whilst  on  an  excursion  with  the  family 
of  his  future  wife  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland, 
gathered  some  white  heather  and  offered  it  to  the 
Princess  as  a  token  of  his  love. 

More  than  twenty  years  later,  the  Crown  Prince  of 
Germany,  while  talking  to  me  at  a  ball  in  the  old 
Castle  of  Berlin,  told  me  himself  of  this  episode, 
and  took  the  opportunity  to  speak  of  the  deep  love 
and    affection    that    he    had  always  felt  for  his  wife. 

192 


The  Royal  Wedding 

"  She  has  been  the  guardian  angel  of  my  existence," 
he  said ;  "  and  she  has  helped  me  to  bear  all  its 
sorrows  and  dark  hours.  She  is  perfection  itself  as 
a  woman." 

The  marriage  was  celebrated  with  great  pomp  in 
the  private  chapel  of  St.  James's  Palace,  in  London, 
and  a  few  days  later  the  young  bride  took  leave  of 
her  parents  and  family,  and,  accompanied  by  the 
regrets  as  well  as  by  the  best  wishes  of  the  whole  of 
England,  started  for  her  new  home. 

She  was  received  in  Germany  with  much  enthusiasm, 
and  it  seemed  at  first  that  she  would  quickly  gain  the 
love  of  the  country  that  had  become  her  own.  Un- 
fortunately, things  turned  out  differently.  The  Prin- 
cess, though  not  at  all  spoiled  under  her  mother's 
roof,  was  too  young  to  fully  realise  that  the  secret  of 
Royal  success  consists  in  always  smiling,  whatever  the 
circumstances.  She  felt  bewildered,  as  young  brides 
do  when  forced  to  undergo  a  change  of  country  and 
surroundings,  and  she  did  not  understand  how  to  hide 
her  feelings  from  others. 

Then,  before  she  could  assemble  her  surprised  and 
startled  thoughts  she  found  herself  confronted  by  the 
imposing  figure  of  her  mother-in-law,  the  Princess  of 
Prussia,  who  was  to  become  later  the  Empress  Augusta, 
a  woman  of  domineering  manner,  eager  for  influence, 
entirely  devoid  of  tact,  and  who  neither  could  nor 
would  enter  into  the  sufferings  of  the  child  who  had 
been  brought  so  suddenly  into  her  family  circle. 

Thrown  back  upon  her  own  resources,  thwarted  in 
all  her  youthful  ambitions,  reminded  at  every  step 
that    England    as    well    as    its   customs    ought    to   be 

N  193 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

forgotten  by  her,  and  that  the  only  thing  which 
she  had  the  right  to  remember  was  that  she  was  a 
Prussian,  and  the  wife  of  a  Prussian  Prince,  the  Princess 
Victoria  began  to  shun  the  world,  and  sought  in 
study  the  strength  to  accomplish  the  duties  that, 
according  to  human  probabilities,  were  soon  to  be- 
come hers.  She  then  conceived  the  noble  plan  of 
helping  her  husband  to  govern  the  country  over  which 
one  day  he  would  be  called  upon  to  reign  according 
to  constitutional  principles,  such  as  she  had  seen  dis- 
played in  England.  She  forgot,  in  her  inexperience, 
that  what  is  possible  in  one  country  is  often  not 
practicable  in  another. 

Scarcely  one  year  after  her  marriage  she  wrote  a 
memorandum  concerning  the  duties  of  a  constitutional 
monarch,  which  Lord  Clarendon  described  as  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  things  he  had  ever  read.  This 
memorandum  was  sent  to  Prince  Albert,  but  unfor- 
tunately it  became  too  much  talked  about,  and  it 
awakened  the  first  symptoms  of  distrust  against  the 
young  Princess.  People  began  to  say  that  she  was 
meddling  too  much  in  politics  and  trying  to  influence 
her  husband  in  a  direction  contrary  to  the  traditions 
of  the  House  of  Hohenzollern. 

When,  a  few  years  after  her  marriage,  the  death 
of  the  King  Frederick  William  IV.  transformed  her 
into  a  Crown  Princess,  that  feeling  of  distrust  grew  in 
proportion  to  the  importance  of  her  present  and  future 
position.  Princess  Victoria  was  accused  of  being  too 
English  in  her  tastes  and  sympathies,  of  bringing  up 
her  children  according  to  English  principles,  and  try- 
ing to  implant  English  customs  in  Berlin.     Later  on, 

194 


Muzzling  the  Press 

when  King  William  appointed  Bismarck  as  President 
of  the  Council  of  Ministers,  a  regrettable  struggle  be- 
gan between  the  latter  and  the  Crown  Prince — a 
struggle  which  reached  its  culminating  point  at  the 
time  of  the  famous  Dantzig  incident,  which  very  few 
people  outside  Germany  remember  now. 

The  first  serious  conflict  that  arose  between  the 
King  and  the  Crown  Prince  happened  in  the  year 
1863,  when  William  I.,  in  conjunction  with  Bismarck, 
inaugurated  that  system  of  government  which  was  to 
bring  Prussia  to  its  later  state  of  greatness  and  change 
the  whole  map  of  Europe. 

A  Royal  decree  limiting  the  liberty  of  the  press 
had  been  published,  and  under  the  inspiration  of  the 
Crown  Princess,  who  was  indignant  at  a  measure  that 
shocked  her  English  feelings  of  liberty,  the  Prince, 
who  had  then  just  started  on  a  voyage  of  inspection 
in  Eastern  Prussia,  wrote  to  the  King  from  Dantzig 
and  expressed  his  disapprobation  of  the  measure,  com- 
plaining that  he  had  not  been  asked  to  participate  in 
the  discussions  that  had  taken  place  in  the  Council  of 
State  concerning  it. 

On  the  5th  of  June  there  was  a  reception  in  the 
town  hall  of  Dantzig,  and  amongst  other  things  which 
he  said  in  reply  to  the  address  of  welcome  presented 
to  him  by  the  burgomaster,  the  Crown  Prince  made 
use  of  the  following  imprudent  expression  :  "I  regret 
to  have  come  here  at  a  moment  when  a  serious  dis- 
accord, the  news  of  which  has  surprised  me  greatly, 
has  occurred  between  the  government  and  the  country. 
I  was  away.  I  have  taken  no  part  in  the  deliberations 
that  have  led  to  such  a  result." 

195 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

These  words,  uttered  by  the  Heir  to  the  Throne, 
produced  everywhere  a  deep  impression,  which  was 
further  strengthened  by  an  energetic  protest  against 
the  decree  hmiting  the  freedom  until  then  enjoyed  by 
the  press  which  he  sent  to  the  Ministry  of  State.  The 
King  wrote  his  son  a  very  angry  letter.  The  latter 
replied  requesting  to  be  relieved  from  his  military 
functions,  and  to  be  allowed  to  retire  from  pubhc  life 
with  the  Princess  and  his  children. 

It  was  then  that  Bismarck  intervened.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  calming  the  King  and  in  making  the  Crown 
Prince  understand  the  necessity  of  submitting  willingly 
to  that  fundamental  principle  of  the  Prussian  constitu- 
tion, which  asserts  that  there  is  no  place  in  Prussia 
for  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  Heir  to   the  Crown. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  it  was  Bismarck  who 
preached  moderation,  who  did  all  he  possibly  could 
to  end  this  conflict  between  father  and  son.  The 
conflict,  no  doubt,  was  aggravated  by  an  article  in 
The  TimeSy  which  congratulated  the  Crown  Prince 
upon  having  a  wife  who  not  only  shared  his  liberal 
opinions,  but  who  was  also  capable  of  being  a  great 
help  to  him  in  an  important  and  critical  moment  in 
his  life. 

I  mention  this  article,  as  well  as  the  incident  of 
Dantzig,  as  it  was  called  at  the  time,  because  it  was 
from  that  moment  that  the  accusation  of  being  so 
thoroughly  an  Englishwoman,  and  of  trying  to  per- 
suade her  husband  to  govern  Prussia  according  to 
the  principles  of  the  English  constitution,  was  first 
launched  in  a  most  positive  manner  against  the  Crown 
Princess. 

196 


Bismarck's  Good  Deed 

The  article  in  The  Times  did  her  much  harm,  and 
she  was  accused  openly  of  having  inspired  it.  Bis- 
marck, however,  who  frankly  disliked  her,  at  once 
understood  that  the  Crown  Princess  would  have  been 
incapable  of  using  the  medium  of  a  newspaper  in  order 
to  sing  her  own  praises.  He  was  also  aware  that  she 
had  too  deep  a  feeling  of  her  own  dignity  as  heiress 
to  a  throne  to  have  had  anything  to  do  with  such 
a  vulgar  glorification  of  her  person.  Thus,  when  the 
King  accused  his  daughter-in-law  of  having  inspired 
the  article,  he  did  his  best  to  destroy  the  misappre- 
hension of  the  aged  monarch,  and,  but  for  his  inter- 
vention, a  serious  quarrel  would  have  taken  place 
between  the  Sovereign  and  his  heir.  The  Crown  Prince 
recognised  this  fact,  and  never  forgot  the  service 
which  his  father's  Minister  had  rendered  him  at  that 
critical  hour  of  his  life.  Like  a  true  Hohenzollern, 
moreover,  he  showed  his  gratitude  subsequently  by 
giving  his  support  to  the  Chancellor  of  the  new  Empire 
on  some  occasions  when  the  latter  found  himself  at 
variance  with  the  Sovereign. 

In  1866,  when  King  William  refused  his  consent  to 
the  conclusion  of  peace  with  Austria  after  the  victory 
of  Sadowa,  and  wanted  to  march  upon  Vienna,  a  measure 
Bismarck  considered  dangerous,  it  was  the  Crown 
Prince  who  finally  persuaded  his  father  to  follow  his 
great  Minister's  advice. 

"  As  I  see  that  my  President  of  the  Council  aban- 
dons me  in  presence  of  the  enemy,"  wrote  William  I., 
"  and  as  I  am  not  able  to  find  here  anyone  to  take 
his  place,  I  have  discussed  the  question  with  my  son. 
He  has  rallied  himself  to  the  opinion  of  the  President 

197 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

of  the  Council,  and  I  find  myself  obliged,  to  my  utmost 
sorrow  and  grief,  after  the  brilliant  victories  won  by 
the  army,  to  swallow  this  bitter  pill  and  to  accept 
a  shameful  peace." 

The  period  of  the  war  with  Austria  was  a  brilliant 
one  in  the  life  of  the  Crown  Prince.  He  revealed  him- 
self as  an  able  general,  and  the  laurels  which  he  had 
won  at  Koniggratz  proclaimed  him  a  national  hero. 
The  Crown  Princess  also,  through  the  care  that  she 
took  of  the  wounded  and  sick,  through  her  activity  in 
the  cause  of  charity,  and  through  her  utter  unselfish- 
ness, recovered  some  of  the  popularity  she  had  lost. 

She  herself  also  changed  ;  she  became  acquainted 
with  the  seriousness  of  life,  and  softened  by  her  con- 
tact with  suffering.  The  death  of  her  father  was  the 
first  cruel  blow  to  shake  her  serenity.  It  taught  her 
that  human  happiness  is,  like  life  itself,  but  fleeting ; 
whilst  the  sudden  end  of  her  third  son,  who  died  whilst 
his  father  was  away  fighting  in  the  Austrian  war, 
was  a  shock  under  which  the  Crown  Princess  nearly 
succumbed. 

The  letters  which  she  wrote  at  that  time  to  her 
family  and  her  friends  are  heartrending  to  read ;  and 
she  could  not  resign  herself  for  many  years  to  her 
loss.  Her  lady-in-waiting  and  faithful  friend.  Countess 
Hedwig  Briihl,  told  me  that  she  was  quite  surprised 
when  she  first  saw  the  Princess  dressed  again  in  a 
coloured  frock;  and  the  way  in  which  she  told  me  of 
this  incident  conveyed  to  me  how  dearly  she  loved 
her  Royal  mistress. 

After  the  events  of  1866  the  Crown  Prince  spent 
even  more  time  in   his   home  than  formerly.     He  and 

198 


■>      'u.Mwwiyjijiiitutv^miijffi,iiiai^a"...'  1  i 


z?3«^^  y  ^■ 


-  - — ^^  v^  _  o^ -I ^ 


Empress  Frederick  of  Prussia. 


Frederick's  Home  Life 

his  wife  devoted  themselves  largely  to  the  education  of 
their  children,  though  they  varied  the  monotony  of  life 
by  frequent  journeys  abroad  and  by  entertaining  their 
few  really  intimate  friends.  At  this  time,  moreover, 
the  Princess  began  to  enjoy  a  greater  independence, 
and  tried  to  gather  round  her  a  circle  whose  tastes 
were  in  sympathy  with  her  own,  though  she  still  occupied 
herself  with  political  matters  in  a  quiet,  unobtrusive 
manner.  The  war  of  1870,  however,  completely  changed 
the  life  of  the  Royal  couple. 

No  one  deplored  it  more  than  did  Prince  Frederick 
William.  He  hated  the  idea  of  witnessing  again  the 
bloody  scenes  that  had  so  painfully  impressed  them- 
selves upon  his  mind  in  1866,  and,  in  addition, 
was  fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  the  struggle, 
and  of  the  consequences  it  was  bound  to  have  on  the 
future  of  his  country. 

His  father  consented  only  after  long  hesitation  to 
accept  the  Imperial  Crown.  The  Crown  Prince,  how- 
ever, did  not  share  this  aversion  to  the  inheritance 
of  Charles  the  Great.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  quite 
ready  to  see  himself  the  Sovereign  of  a  confederated 
Germany  ;  but  his  nature  was  too  earnest  and  too 
deep  not  to  look  with  fear  and  dread  upon  a  struggle, 
the  results  of  which  would  be  either  to  make  the 
country  forget  at  least  the  disaster  of  Jena,  or  else 
to  humiliate  it  once  more  before  the  descendants 
of  the  Corsican  adventurer,  in  whose  presence  Queen 
Louisa  had  wept  at  Tilsit. 

The  Crown  Princess  shared  the  feelings  of  her 
Consort,  but  being  also  a  woman  with  a  womanly 
heart,  she  could  not  but  be  proud  of  the  new  laurels 

199 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

that  he  was  about  to  win.  She  retained  a  passionate 
adoration  for  the  man  whose  destiny  she  had  been 
called  upon  to  share;  she  tried  to  give  his  every 
thought  preference  to  her  own  with  a  persistence 
that  was  wonderful  in  a  nature  so  strong  as  hers ; 
she  thought  only  of  him,  and  she  was  proud  of  but 
one  thing— of  being  his  wife.  Full  of  hope  for  the 
future,  she  longed  for  the  day  when  she  would  wear 
a  crown,  because  she  would  then  have  the  joy  of  see- 
ing him  in  possession  of  her  ambitions ;  and  if  some- 
times she  showed  impatience,  it  was  not  because  she 
wanted  to  become  an  Empress,  as  people  have  said, 
but  because  she  longed  for  the  whole  world  to  know 
her  husband  as  she  knew  him— a  wise,  enlightened 
ruler,  living  only  for  the  welfare  and  the  happiness 
of  his  people. 

When  she  came  to  meet  him  after  the  triumphs  of 
1870,  bringing  with  her  that  same  laurel  crown  which 
she  was  later  on  to  lay  on  his  death-bed,  there  was  such 
an  expression  of  joy  on  her  face  that  the  Prince  took 
her  in  his  arms  and  cried  :  "  Vicky,  you  love  me  as 
well  as  you  did  at  Balmoral !  " 


200 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    PERSONALITY    OF   THE    CROWN    PRINCESS 
VICTORIA 

I  WAS  presented  to  the  Crown  Princess  of  Germany 
in  November,  1873,  a  few  weeks  after  my  first 
marriage.  She  received  me  and  my  mother-in-law  in 
her  study,  in  the  palace  which  she  occupied  in  Berlin, 
and  which  is  now  the  residence  of  her  grandson,  the 
heir  to  the  Prussian  Throne.  The  Court  was  in  mourn- 
ing for  Queen  Elizabeth,  the  widow  of  Frederick 
William  IV.,  and  the  crepe  veil  which  the  Princess 
was  wearing  did  not  allow  me  to  see  her  well.  But 
later,  when  I  knew  her  better,  I  learned  to  guess  the 
riddle  of  her  beautiful  eyes,  whose  expression  was 
quite  indescribable. 

The  Princess,  though  not  a  great  conversationalist, 
knew  how  to  find  the  right  words  at  the  right  time. 
She  was  intensely  sympathetic,  and,  despite  the  magni- 
ficence and  grandeur  which  hemmed  in  her  life,  found 
time  to  interest  herself  in  the  sorrows  and  afflictions 
of  those  around  her.  Always  kind  and  indulgent, 
she  learned  not  to  judge  others  harshly.  Given  to  the 
highest  thoughts,  occupied  by  the  noblest  interests, 
absorbed  by  the  most  generous  plans  for  the  future, 
she  disdained  the  plaudits  of  the  crowd,  and  with 
equal  serenity  ignored  its  injustices.     She   lived   in  a 

201 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

world  entirely  her  own,  where  charity,  art,  literature, 
and  science  reigned  supreme.  Her  voice  was  wonder- 
ful in  its  harmony ;  it  was  soft  and  clear,  and  she  had 
a  happy  knack  of  conveying  to  the  mind  of  her  listeners 
the  exact  impression  she  wished  to  give. 

I  remember  one  day,  towards  the  end  of  the  life 
of   the  Empress  when  I  was  with  her  in  Berlin,  that 
our  conversation  fell  upon  someone  who  had  offended 
her  in  the  past,   and  I  was  rather  surprised  to  find 
that   her   judgments   concerning  that   person   had  be- 
come modified,  and  that  she  even  spoke  of  her  with 
some  sympathy.     I  could  not  help  making  a  remark 
to  that  effect  to  Her  Majesty,  who  then  put  her  hand 
on  my  arm  as  if  to  command  my  attention  :    "  Let 
us  forget  the  past,"   she  said.     "  You  remember  the 
epitaph    in    Westminster    Abbey,    '  Nescire     et    errare 
humanum  est.'     I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
this  is  the  only  judgment  we  have  the  right  to  utter." 
When    the    triumphs    that    attended    the    Franco- 
German   war  had   given   King   William   the   crown   of 
Charles  the  Great  and  of  Barbarossa,  the  politics  of 
Prussia,    which    had    become    those    of    the    German 
Empire,  naturally  underwent  a  radical  change.     When 
I  arrived  at  Berlin  the  new  Empire  had  just  begun, 
and  Prince  Bismarck  dominated  the  whole  scene.    His 
relations  with  the  Heir  to  the  Throne  had  for  a  short 
time   been   cordial,    but   now   again   became    strained. 
Bismarck    accused    both    the    Crown    Prince    and    the 
Princess  of  joining  in  intrigues  against  him.     At  that 
time  the  French  Ambassador,  the  Viscount  de  Gontaut 
Biron,  was  the  soul  of  a  small  coterie  distinctly  hostile 
to  Bismarck,  but  owing  to  family  ties  he  was  received 

202 


A  Memorable  Evening 

both  by  the  Empress  Augusta  and  by  the  Crown 
Prince.  The  German  Chancellor,  therefore,  elected  to 
vent  his  ire  upon  the  latter. 

A  rather  bitter  correspondence  followed,  and  though 
it  was  easy  for  the  Prince  to  prove  to  Bismarck  that 
his  suspicions  were  unfounded,  the  Chancellor  con- 
tinued to  regard  the  future  Emperor  with  mistrust, 
and  for  a  long  time  would  have  nothing  to  say  or 
to  do  with  him.  Some  advances  that  were  made  to 
him  by  the  Crown  Princess,  who  did  not  care  to  be 
on  bad  terms  with  the  all-powerful  Minister,  were 
repulsed,  and  the  misunderstanding  only  came  to  an 
end  owing  to  the  intervention  of  a  mutual  friend, 
whom  I  have  always  suspected  of  being  Lord  Russell, 
who  was  then  British  Ambassador  at  the  Court  of 
Berlin.  At  any  rate,  the  breach  somehow  or  other 
was  patched  up,  and  on  the  21st  of  November,  her 
birthday,  the  Crown  Princess  gave  a  party  at  which 
Prince  Bismarck,  to  the  surprise  of  all  who  knew  him, 
because  he  never  went  out  anywhere  in  the  evening,' 
condescended  to  appear. 

I  shall  never  forget  that  evening.  We  assembled 
in  a  room,  the  dark  blue  velvet  furniture  of  which  had 
been  severely  criticised  by  some  people,  who  thought 
it  was  rather  funereal;  and  we  were  waiting  for  the 
Prince  and  Princess  to  make  their  entry,  when 
through  a  side  door  appeared  the  figure  of  the 
Chancellor  in  the  uniform  of  a  white  cuirassier. 
Everybody  was  struck  dumb  with  stupefaction,  and 
Bismarck,  who  reahsed  perfectly  well  the  impression 
that  his  unexpected  appearance  had  produced,  looked 
round  with  a  sarcastic  smile.     He  remained  thus  for 

203 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

a  few  minutes  ;  then  the  door  of  the  Crown  Princess's 
study  was  opened,  and  she  herself  entered  the  drawing- 
room,  accompanied  by  the  Prince  and  followed  by 
her  attendants.  She  paused  near  the  lady  who  was 
standing  nearest  the  door  and  spoke  a  few  words 
with  her  ;  then,  without  the  least  haste,  crossed  the 
room,   and  approached  the  Chancellor. 

They  began  talking  together,  but  Bismarck  seemed 
not  to  be  quite  at  his  ease,  and  all  the  while  he  was 
conversing  with  the  Crown  Princess  he  kept  pulling  and 
twisting  his  long  military  glove,  whilst  she,  for  her 
part,  carefully  preserved  her  "  Royal  manner."  After 
five  minutes  or  so  she  bowed  slightly  to  the  Chancellor 
and  passed  on  with  that  trailing  step  which  was 
peculiar  to  her.  Then  the  Crown  Prince  approached 
the  Minister.  As  he  did  so  Bismarck's  attitude  changed 
at  once.  He,  who  had  appeared  to  be  rather  em- 
barrassed whilst  speaking  with  the  Princess  Victoria, 
drew  himself  up,  and,  haughty,  resolute,  and  proud, 
brought  the  whole  weight  of  his  personality  to  bear 
on  this  erstwhile  opponent. 

There  was  another  episode  in  the  life  of  the  Crown 
Princess  which  I  witnessed,  and  which,  like  the  one 
I  have  just  related,  has  remained  engraved  for  ever 
in  my  memory.  It  was  on  a  June  evening.  The  old 
Emperor  had  been  wounded  by  Nobiling,  and  his 
death  was  expected  at  any  moment.  The  political  cir- 
cumstances were  unusually  grave ;  the  Berlin  Con- 
gress was  to  meet  in  a  few  days ;  the  peace  of  Europe 
was  trembling  in  the  balance.  After  he  had  been 
brought  back  into  his  palace,  William  I.,  during  one 
of  the  rare  moments  when  consciousness  returned  to 

204 


Attempt  to  Kill  the  Emperor 

him,  found  the  strength  to  sign  a  decree  conferring  the 
Regency  on  the  Crown  Prince  during  his  illness. 

The  Prince  was  then  in  England,  and  the  news 
of  the  murderous  attempt  upon  his  father's  life  reached 
him  at  Hatfield  House,  where  he  was  staying  with 
Lord  Salisbury.  It  was  on  a  Sunday,  and  there  was 
some  difficulty  in  arranging  for  a  special  train  to 
convey  the  Prince  and  the  Princess  to  Dover.  The 
telegrams  that  awaited  them  at  every  station  where 
they  stopped  described  the  condition  of  the  Emperor 
as  being  extremely  critical  and  almost  desperate. 
When  they  arrived  at  Berlin  they  were  received 
almost  as  if  they  had  been  already  sovereigns. 

The  evening  was  hot  and  rainy,  dark,  and  the 
moon  was  hidden ;  it  was  about  eleven  o'clock.  An 
immense  crowd  was  gathered  around  the  station  to 
meet  the  travellers.  When  they  left  their  railway 
carriage  the  Princess  found  some  gracious  words  to  say 
to  those  whom  she  knew ;  but  the  Prince  appeared 
to  be  very  nervous,  and  replied  with  some  impatience 
to  the  greetings  with  which  he  was  welcomed.  A 
lady  who  in  former  days  had  vainly  tried  to  be  admitted 
to  the  intimacy  of  the  Imperial  couple  rushed  towards 
the  Princess  and  kissed  her  hands,  addressing  her  at 
the  same  time  as  "  Your  Majesty."  The  face  of  Prin- 
cess Victoria  changed  considerably,  and  withdrawing 
her  hands,  "  I  am  not  the  Empress,  madame,"  she 
said,  and  passed  on  rather  hurriedly. 

It  is  certain  that  this  haste  which  she  found  on 
the  part  of  some  people  to  give  her  a  title  which 
was  not  yet  hers,  made  an  unpleasant  impression 
upon  her  because  it  really  voiced  her  secret  ambitions. 

205 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Nevertheless,  during  the  illness  of  the  Emperor  she 
displayed  extraordinary  tact,  and  was  very  attentive 
to  her  father-in-law  and  the  Empress  Augusta. 

The  Prince  as  Regent  found  himself  in  an  exceed- 
ingly difficult  position,  and  obliged  to  follow  the 
political  line  traced  by  the  Chancellor  rather  than 
the  one  which  he  wished  to  see  adopted.  He  ex- 
pected at  least  that,  as  a  reward  for  his  docility, 
he  would  be  allowed  henceforward  to  share  with  his 
father  the  cares  of  the  State.  But  Bismarck  did  not 
intend  anything  of  the  kind  ;  nor  did  the  old  Emperor. 
As  soon  as  the  latter  felt  himself  restored  to  his  usual 
health,  he  resumed  the  reins  of  government,  and  the 
Crown  Prince  had  to  step  back  once  more  into  the 
obscurity  of  his  former  life. 

The  Princess  felt  it  deeply.  She  had  hoped  so 
much  to  be  able  at  last  to  execute — or,  rather,  to 
see  executed — all  the  humanitarian  plans  of  her  hus- 
band, and  she  firmly  believed  that  his  administration 
of  affairs  would  have  convinced  the  Emperor  that  he 
could  without  fear  allow  his  son  to  replace  him  some- 
times, and  thus  help  him  to  bear  the  heavy  burden 
that  rested  upon  his  shoulders. 

At  this  time  Princess  Victoria  had  many  sorrows 
to  bear.  She  lost  first  her  favourite  sister,  the  Grand 
Duchess  of  Hesse  ;  then  came  the  death  of  her  own 
son,  Prince  Waldemar,  a  youth  in  whom  she  had 
centred  her  highest  hopes.  And  after  that  blow  came 
many  others — disappointments  of  every  kind,  anxiety 
concerning  her  other  children  and  her  husband,  who 
had  fallen  into  a  state  of  utter  lassitude  caused  by 
the  discouragement  accorded  to  him. 

206 


Victoria's  Literary  Friends 

She   endeavoured  even   more   than   she   had   done 
formerly  to  fight  against   her  forced  inaction  ;    and  it 
was  about  that  time  that  she  assembled  round  herself 
and   the    Prince    that    circle    of   friends   who  came  to 
share    their    life    and    soften    the    bitterness    that    so 
often    spoiled   what    would    otherwise    have   been    the 
source   of   much    real    joy.      The    Princess    was    very 
eclectic   in   her  tastes,   and   used   to   receive,   together 
with  Mommsen,  Helmholtz,  Dubois  Raymond,  most  of 
the  great   scientists  and   artists   of  modern   Germany. 
The  historian  Ranke  was  a  special  favourite  of  hers, 
and  she  once    asked    him    to    give    her    some    lessons 
m    history -lessons     that    sometimes    exhausted    her 
patience  by  the  extreme  impartiality  which  the  great 
thinker   used   to    pronounce    all    his   judgments.     The 
dryness  of  Ranke's  dicta  used  to  get  on  her  nerves  ; 
but   in   spite  of  it  she   felt   a  great  sympathy  for  hil 
person,    as   well   as    an   immense   admiration    for    his 
erudition.     -The   History  of  the  Popes"  was  a  work 
which   she   always    had   with   her;    and    she   wrote    a 
commentary    upon    it     which    excited    the    unstinted 
admiration  of  the  aged  historian. 

Wherever  she  went  the  Crown  Princess  sought  the 
society  of  interesting  people,  and  all  who  had  the 
opportunity  of  approaching  her  remained  under  the 
charm  of  her  conversation  and  rare  intelligence.  Some- 
times she  had  discussions  with  those  whom  she  was 
entertaining,  but  these  discussions  were  ever  courteous 
and  kind.  Only  once  do  I  remember  her  getting 
impatient,  and  that  was  with  Lecky  the  historian. 
They  were  talking  about  the  book  of  Renan,  "  The 
Life  of  Jesus,"  which  the  Princess  admired  very  much. 

207 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Lecky,  on  the  contrary,  found  the  work  superficial, 
and  was  irritated  at  the  enthusiastic  manner  in  which 
the  Princess  Victoria  expressed  herself,  remarking  that 
he  could  not  forgive  Renan  for  having  "  transformed 
Christ  into  a  shepherd  of  Florian."  The  Princess 
turned  her  back  upon  him,  and  for  a  long  time  refused 
to  speak  to  him  again. 

The  religious  convictions  of  the  Crown  Princess 
have  been  very  much  discussed.  She  had  a  mind  too 
much  addicted  to  criticism  to  consent  ever  to  accept 
as  absolute  the  dogmas  that  were  preached  in  a  church, 
no  matter  which  it  was  ;  but  her  faith  in  God  and 
her  belief  in  a  future  life  were  as  strong  as  they  were 
sincere.  She  proved  it  by  the  way  in  which  she 
lived,  practising  to  the  utmost  the  beautiful  maxim 
of  Guizot,  that  "  a  pure  life  is  in  itself  a  profession  of 
faith."  She  was  tolerant  above  all  things,  and  was 
convinced  that  in  religious  matters  individual  liberty 
should  be  respected. 

Her  house  was  a  centre  of  a  literary  and  scientific 
activity,  and  her  evening  parties  will  long  remain  in 
the  memory  of  those  who  had  the  honour  to  be  in- 
vited to  them.  I  remember  meeting  Matthew  Arnold 
at  one  of  them  ;  at  another,  Richter,  the  celebrated 
painter  ;  also  Cornelia  Meyerbeer,  the  daughter  of  the 
famous  composer  ;  the  Countess  Schleinitz,  afterwards 
Countess  Volkenstein ;  Angeli,  the  painter,  to  whom 
one  owes  the  two  best  portraits  that  were  ever  made 
of  the  Crown  Prince  and  the  Crown  Princess  ;  Count 
Ferdinand  Harrach,  also  an  artist  of  no  mean  value, 
with  his  wife,  the  pretty  Countess  Helene ;  Helm- 
holtz,  the  chemist,  professor  at  the  Berlin  University  ; 

208 


William  11.  and  His  Mother 

Rudolph  and  Paul  Lindau,  two  brothers,  the  elder 
attached  to  the  Foreign  Office,  the  younger  a  journal- 
ist and  writer  of  much  ability.  In  addition  to  such 
celebrities  as  these  I  met  deputies  of  the  Reichstag  ; 
members  of  the  Prussian  House  of  Lords  ;  military 
men  who  played  an  important  part  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  such  as  Field-Marshal  von  Moltke,  General 
Blumenthal,  and  Marshal  von  Manteuffel ;  Roth- 
schild, the  head  of  the  famous  banking  house  of  that 
name  in  Frankfurt ;  the  Mendelssohn-Bartholdys ; 
Leyden,  the  physician  ;  Mommsen,  the  historian  — also 
used  to  attend  the  Princess's  parties. 

From  time  to  time,  too,  she  gave  fancy  balls  ;  and 
no  one  who  was  present  at  it  can  forget  the  Venetian 
fete  which  she  organised,  and  at  which  she  appeared 
herself  wearing  the  costume  of  Leonora  Gonzagua, 
after  the  picture  from  Titian,  in  the  Pitti  Gallery  at 
Florence — a  costume  that  suited  her  admirably.  On 
the  anniversary  of  her  silver  wedding  an  Elizabethan 
party  was  given  at  the  Palace,  and  the  court  of  that 
famous  Queen  of  England  was  reproduced  so  perfectly 
that  the  scene  is  talked  about  to  this  day  in  Berlin. 
When  I  close  my  eyes  I  can  still  see  the  Princess, 
dressed  in  silver  brocade,  standing  beside  the  Prince 
under  a  canopy  in  the  White  Hall  of  the  old  Royal 
Castle,  gazing  with  an  amused  and  tender  glance  at 
all  the  costumed  people  who  filed  past  her,  and  whom 
she  thanked  with  her  sweet  smile.  It  was  the  last 
festivity  which  she  was  to  attend  ;  afterwards  came 
very  quickly — too  quickly,  indeed — troubles,  sorrows, 
mourning,  and  death. 

It  was  about  that  time  that  serious  misunderstand- 

o  209 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

ings  began  to  arise  between  her  and  her  eldest  son, 
the  Emperor  WilUam  of  to-day.  These  misunder- 
standings were  aggravated  by  the  interference  of  mis- 
chievous people  who  were  eager  to  sow  dissensions 
between  mother  and  son.  It  was  also  then  that  the 
latent  antipathy  that  had  always  existed  between  the 
Crown  Princess  and  Prince  Bismarck  changed  into 
violent  hatred. 

The   great  crime   of  the   Iron   Chancellor   was   the 
cruel  way  in  which  he  fomented,  by  all  means  in  his 
power,    the   disunion   which   already    existed   between 
young  Prince  William  and  his  parents,  whom  he  tried 
to  lower  in  the   estimation  of  the  aged   Emperor  by 
contrasting  their  conduct  with  that  of  his  grandson, 
who,   as  he   continually   told   him,   was   alone   worthy 
to   succeed   him.     The   first   step   which   was   made   in 
order  to  diminish  the  prestige  and  the  popularity  of 
the  Crown  Prince  was  taken  after  the  death  of  Field- 
Marshal  von  Manteuffel,   when  Bismarck  proposed  to 
William  I.  to  replace  him  in  his  quality  of  Imperial 
Lieutenant  in  Alsace-Lorraine  by  young  Prince  William. 
The  plan  had  to  be  abandoned  almost  immediately, 
owing  to  the  resistance  with  which  it  was  met  on  the 
part  of    the  Crown  Prince,   whose  clear   outlook    had 
at    once    grasped    the    consequences    which    such    an 
appointment  would  have  had  in  the  future,   and  the 
unpopularity    which    it    would    inevitably    have    won 
for   his   son   among   certain   political   parties.     It   was 
entirely  to  this  feeling — and  not  at  all  to  a  silly  jeal- 
ousy to  see  him  invested  with  an  authority  that  had 
always  been  refused  to  himself — that   must  be  attri- 
buted the  opposition  of  the  Crown  Prince.     But  the 

210 


Emperor  William  Dies 

noble  feeling  that  guided  him  on  that  occasion  was 
misunderstood  by  the  object  of  his  solicitude,  as  well 
as  by  the  old  Emperor  and  the  great  Minister  who 
at  that  time  ruled  over  the  destinies  of  the  German 
Empire. 

It  was  in  the  course  of  the  winter  of  1887  that 
sinister  rumours  concerning  the  health  of  the  Crown 
Prince  began  to  circulate  among  the  public.  Alas  ! 
they  proved  to  be  but  too  true,  and  it  soon  became 
evident  that  the  days  of  the  Prince  were  numbered. 
The  Emperor  was  living  still,  always  at  his  post,  always 
fulfilling  the  round  of  his  daily  duties,  weakened  by 
the  weight  of  his  many  years,  but  valiant  in  spite  of 
them,  and  of  the  heavy  troubles  that  were  poisoning 
his  last  hours.  Intrigues  without  number  arose  around 
him.  The  lowest  of  cupidities  were  awakened  at  this 
critical  moment  in  German  history ;  and  the  story 
of  these  things  was  carried  even  to  the  shores  of  the 
Mediterranean,  under  the  shade  of  the  trees  which 
surrounded  the  Villa  Zirio,  where  Frederick  William 
was  slowly  dying  in  presence  of  his  despairing  wife. 

The  world  was  watching  this  tragedy,  and  won- 
dered what  would  happen  next,  and  who  would  suc- 
cumb first — the  old  father,  tottering  under  the  load 
of  his  many  years,  or  the  son,  broken  by  an  illness 
from  which  no  recovery  could  be  hoped.  Around 
these  two  tombs,  already  opened  and  awaiting  their 
occupants,  greedy  ambitions,  selfish  longings,  and  brutal 
appetites  were  fighting  a  remorseless  battle,  forgetting 
the  whole  time  that  this  future  belonged  to  God  alone. 

It  was  He  who  finally  intervened.  Whilst  the  life 
of   Prince    Frederick    William    was    trembling    in    the 

211 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

balance,  that  of  his  father  came  to  a  sudden  end,  with- 
out any  special  warning.  The  old  man,  exhausted  by 
the  fatigue  of  his  long  existence,  dropped  into  that 
long  sleep  from  which  there  is  no  awakening.  His 
son  became  Emperor.  And  when  at  last  he  had  the 
power  to  realise  all  the  generous  plans  of  his  youth, 
and  to  do  all  the  good  which  he  had  wished  so  ardently 
to  do,  it  was  too  late— he  was  already  dying. 


2i2 


CHAPTER  XXII 

VICTORIA    AS    EMPRESS 

THE  PRINCESS  VICTORIA  became  Empress. 
What  passed  in  her  soul  and  thoughts  at  that 
solemn  moment  when  at  last  the  Imperial  Crown 
became  hers  ?  Very  probably  her  first  feeling  was 
one  of  despair  in  presence  of  this  cruel  irony  of  fate. 
After  having  hoped  so  much,  after  having  shared  so 
many  high  ambitions,  so  many  disinterested  and 
humanitarian  plans  with  the  husband  she  loved,  she 
found  herself  in  the  presence  of  an  inexorable  reality 
which  took  away  from  her  with  one  hand  all  that  it 
had  given  to  her  with  the  other. 

Instead  of  sharing  the  throne  with  the  companion 
of  her  life,  she  saw  herself  watching  at  his  death-bed. 
No  tragedy  could  have  been  more  cruel.  Yet  the 
Empress  bore  herself  magnificently,  and  showed  to 
the  world  the  strength  of  her  admirable  character.  In 
those  tragic  hours  when  the  faltering  but  nevertheless 
firm  hand  of  Frederick  III.  took  up  the  reins  of  the 
German  Empire,  she  was  sublime  in  her  abnegation, 
in  her  utter  forgetfulness  of  her  own  sufferings.  She 
succeeded  in  hiding  from  the  world  the  anguish  under 
which  she  was  breaking  down,  and  found  the  courage  to 
speak  in  hopeful  tones  to  the  poor  invalid  who  knew 
but  too  well  that  no  hope  was  left  to  either  of  them. 

213 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

During  the  short  three  months  that  she  was  Empress 
she  appeared  only  once  in  pubUc,  and  that  was  when 
inundations  devastated  the  province  of  Silesia.  The 
Empress  went  personally  to  the  spot  of  the  disasters 
to  superintend  the  measures  of  relief.  Her  own  heart 
was  breaking  at  the  time,  but  her  sense  of  duty 
triumphed  over  her  grief,  and  she  left  her  dying  husband 
for  a  few  hours  to  go  in  his  name  to  comfort  other 
suffering  beings. 

I  have  before  me  now  a  letter  written  by  the 
Empress  Victoria  during  that  dreadful  time  :  — 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  kind  interest.  It  is  dear 
to  me,  like  everything  that  comes  from  friendly  hearts 
is  dear.  I  won't  tell  you  anything  about  myself, 
leaving  you  to  guess  everything.  The  Emperor 
is  feeling  slightly  better.  I  cannot  say  anything  else. 
Thank  Heaven  he  suffers  less.  May  he  soon  suffer 
no  more  !  If  only  he  could  get  some  of  that  rest 
he  needs  so  much  he  would  be  better,  but  he  works 
too  much,  and  complains  that  he  can't  do  more.  May 
the  will  of  the  Lord  be  done  !  I  pray  to  Him  to  make 
me  resigned,  also  my  poor  invalid.  He  is  sublime  in 
his  patience,  and  his  one  wish  is  to  do  all  the  good  he 
can  during  the  little  time  that  is  still  left  to  him. 

"  I  do  not  ask  you  to  think  about  us,  or  to  pray 
for  us ;  I  know  that  you  are  doing  it,  and  I  am  grate- 
ful to  you.  When  one  falls  from  so  high  as  I  have 
fallen,  one's  friends  are  particularly  dear  to  one.  Some- 
times it  seems  to  me  as  if  all  this  agony  is  nothing 
but  a  dream  from  which  I  must  awake ;  and  then 
anguish  seizes  me  again,  and  I  realise  my  misfortune 
in  all  its  depth.     And  when  one  thinks  that  I  belong  to 

214 


Death  of  Emperor  Frederick 

the  number  of  those  who  are  called  the  happy  ones 
of  this  earth  !  If  only  all  the  people  who  envy  me 
— or,  rather,  who  have  envied  me — could  only  guess 
how  often  the  great  ones  of  this  world  have  to  suffer 
for  the  high  position  which  is  theirs,  they  would  not 
be  in  such  a  hurry  to  judge  or  to  condemn  them.  We 
have  even  to  endure  the  pain  of  not  being  able  to  talk 
about  our  sufferings,  and  at  all  costs  we  must  fall 
and  die  like  kings." 

There  is  nothing  to  be  added  to  this  cry  of  anguish. 
The  Empress  was  indeed  to  drink  the  cup  of  her  sorrow 
to  the  dregs,  but  she  was  also  to  die  as  a  Queen  ;  and 
it  was  as  a  Queen,  too,  that  she  found  the  strength 
to  close  the  eyes  of  the  husband  whom  she  had  loved 
with  such  devotion.  She  laid  on  his  breast  the  laurel 
wreath  which  she  had  brought  to  him  when  she  went 
to  meet  him  after  the  triumph  of  Sedan.  Then  she 
put  his  sword,  that  valiant  sword  which  he  had  only 
handled  gloriously,  in  his  fingers,  already  stiffened 
by  death,  and  said  a  long  good-bye  to  him. 

Two  years  elapsed  after  the  death  of  the  Emperor 
Frederick  before  I  saw  his  widow  once  more.  It  was 
in  Berlin,  and  she  received  me  in  her  blue  drawing- 
room.  The  furniture  had  not  been  changed,  and  the 
portrait  of  the  Emperor  in  his  white  cuirassier 
uniform,  painted  by  Angeli,  was  hanging  in  the 
place  of  honour. 

When  the  Empress  entered  the  room  I  could  only 
kiss  her  hand  and  weep.  Her  hair  had  grown  quite 
white,  but  the  face  was  the  same  that  I  had  always 
known,  and  the  eyes  had  kept  their  old  expression. 

215 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

After  that  day  I  saw  the  Empress  almost  every 
year,  either  in  Berlin  or  in  Frankfurt,  and  for  the  last 
time  at  Bordighera,  a  few  months  before  her  death. 
Every  time  I  met  her  I  found  her  quieter,  more  serene 
and  resigned,  though  during  the  last  years  of  her  life 
she  took  more  interest  in  current  events,  and  talked, 
moreover,  with  something  like  her  former  animation. 

About  two  years  before  her  death  she  became 
reconciled  with  her  son,  the  Emperor  William.  Her 
animosity  against  Prince  Bismarck  had  also  lost  its 
former  sharpness,  and  I  think  that  she  had  even  pitied 
him  at  the  time  of  his  disgrace.  She  never  lost  her 
clear  outlook  on  the  political  horizon  of  the  moment, 
but  she  spoke  but  seldom  on  this  dangerous  subject. 
Her  relations  with  her  mother,  which  for  a  long  time 
had  been  rather  cold,  became  tender  and  affectionate 
after  her  widowhood  had  brought  her  closer  to  Queen 
Victoria,  whose  death  was  the  last  great  sorrow  of  her 
daughter. 

The  death  of  the  Empress  Victoria  was  painful  in  the 
extreme.  The  cancer  tormented  her  for  months  ;  and 
in  her  pain  she  would  murmur  :  "  The  Emperor  did 
not  complain.     I  am  not  so  brave  as  he  was  !  " 

She  died  as  a  Queen  should  do.  Her  life  had  been 
the  ''  profession  of  faith  "  mentioned  by  Guizot ;  and 
whenever  I  read  in  the  Holy  Scripture  the  words  ''  Where 
dost  thou  find  a  valiant  woman  ?  "  I  think  at  once  of 
Victoria,  Empress  of  Germany  and  Queen  of  Prussia. 


216 


PART  III 
Memories  of  Russia 


CHAPTER   I 

ALEXANDER   III.    AND    HIS    CONSORT 

THE  first  time  I  saw  Alexander  III.  was  at  the 
time  of  his  marriage,  when  he  rode  on  horse- 
back  beside  the  gilded  coach  in  which  his  future  wife» 
the  Princess  Dagmar  of  Denmark,  made  her  State 
entry  into  St.  Petersburg,  seated  beside  the  Empress 
Marie  Alexandrovna. 

I  was  a  very  little  girl  at  that  time,  scarcely  eight 
years  old  ;  but  whenever  I  close  my  eyes  I  can  see 
quite  vividly  all  the  pomp  of  this  grand  procession  as 
it  swept  along  the  wide  Nevski  Prospekt,  and  I  re- 
member quite  well  the  figure  of  the  then  Heir  to 
the  Throne  on  a  handsome  bay  horse,  riding  a  little 
behind  his  father,  and  the  smiling  gracious  counten- 
ance of  the  Imperial  bride  as  she  timidly,  but  so 
sweetly,  bowed  her  pretty,  small  head  in  response  to 
the  acclamations  of  the  crowd  that  filled  the  streets 
to  greet  her. 

Years  went  on,  and  then  once  more  I  saw  the 
Grand  Duchess,  now  the  Dowager  Empress  of  Russia, 
one  autumn  morning  on  a  platform  erected  on  the 
Izmailovsky  Square  in  St.  Petersburg,  with  other 
members  of  the  Imperial  family  waiting  to  welcome 
back  the  Russian  troops  from  the  battlefields  of  Turkey 
after  the  war  of  1877.     She  had  become  a  beautiful 

219 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

woman,  the  embodiment  of  health,  Hfe,  and  happiness, 
the  beloved  of  all,  worshipped  by  her  husband  and 
her  children,  and  entirely  fascinating. 

Her  popularity  was  already  considerable,  even  at 
that  time,  when  the  cares  and  weight  of  Imperial  power 
had  not  yet  fallen  upon  her,  and  one  had  begun,  even 
at  that  distant  epoch,  to  look  up  to  her  and  to  seek 
her  protection  and  her  favour.  Those  who  had  had 
the  honour  of  knowing  her  intimately  were  loud  in 
their  praises  of  her  intelligence  and  judgment,  her 
great  sense  of  honour,  her  good  heart  and  exquisite 
kindness.  When  she  became  Empress  the  same 
qualities  were  always  present,  and  to  this  day  she 
has  remained  the  same. 

At  that  time  I  had  not  yet  been  presented  to  Marie 
Feodorovna,  and  it  was  only  in  1881,  a  few  months 
after  the  tragic  death  of  Alexander  II.,  I  had  that 
honour.  I  then  saw  for  the  first  time  quite  closely 
her  magnificent  dark  eyes  and  her  inimitable  smile. 
I  saw  her  again,  very  soon  after  that  in  Moscow,  at 
the  time  of  her  coronation.  And  when  a  few  years 
later,  with  my  first  husband,  I  settled  entirely  in  St. 
Petersburg,  I  had  often  opportunity  of  approaching 
her,  and  also  of  hearing  a  great  deal  about  her  from 
several  intimate  friends  of  hers,  with  whom  I  was  also 
on  affectionate  terms.  They  were  never  chary  of 
praising  her  rare  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  and  her 
beauty  of  soul. 

The  Emperor  was  an  imposing  figure.  As  years 
go  on  his  personality  becomes  clearer  and  clearer  as 
it  emerges  from  the  nebulous  atmosphere  that  sur- 
rounded his  lifetime,  owing  to  his  love  of  solitude  and 

220 


Personality  of  Alexander  III. 

his  reluctance  to  show  himself  in  public.  It  is  only 
recently  that  the  world  has  recognised  him  as  a  states- 
man of  great  merit,  supreme  ability,  and  keen  per- 
ception of  the  needs  of  his  country  and  of  his  people. 

No  one  had  given  a  thought  to  the  possibility  of 
his  ever  ascending  the  throne,  and  consequently  his 
training  had  not  been  in  that  direction;  but  he  was 
sincere  in  the  great,  deep,  powerful  love  he  bore  for 
the  land  of  his  birth. 

The  Emperor  disliked  society,  and  even  when  quite 
a  young  man  preferred  his  own  fireside  to  outside 
amusements.  He  detested  everything  which  savoured 
of  pomp  and  magnificence,  and  cared  in  reality  only 
for  his  wife  and  children.  Timid  by  nature,  he  was 
painfully  conscious  of  his  inexperience  of  public  affairs 
when  he  ascended  the  throne.  But  from  the  first 
day  that  the  burden  of  the  State  fell  upon  his  shoulders 
he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the  different  problems 
of  the  administration  and  government  of  his  great 
country,  and  tried  to  surround  himself  only  with  honest 
and  trustworthy  people.  He  succeeded  in  doing  so, 
and  that  is  one  of  the  greatest  praises  that  can  be 
bestowed  on  him,  as  well  as  on  his  reign.  If  ever  a 
Sovereign  deserved  the  name  of  Father  of  his  people, 
it  was  Alexander  III. 

Alexander  III.  was  Russian  in  the  strictest  sense, 
and  very  different  on  that  point  from  his  father,  who 
affected  Occidental  culture.  He  did  not  care  to  use 
any  other  language  than  Russian,  and  it  was  owing 
to  his  influence  that  smart  society,  which  up  to  that 
time  had  always  spoken  French,  began  to  use  the 
national  idiom. 

221 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

The  Emperor  was  a  sincere  child  of  the  Orthodox 
Church,  and  the  aim  which  he  pursued  during  the 
thirteen  years  that  he  occupied  the  throne  was  to 
make  Russia  a  strong  and  powerful  nation,  respected 
in  Europe  and  throughout  the  world. 

He  has  been  credited  with  an  intense  dislike  for 
Germany ;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  he  would  ever 
have  consented  to  protect  an  anti-German  agita- 
tion. He  had  no  sympathy  whatever  with  the  policy 
pursued  by  Prince  Bismarck;  but  Bismarck  himself  he 
respected  in  the  same  way  as  he  respected  everything 
that  he  thought  was  great  and  sincere.  He  had  accepted 
the  French  alliance,  not  so  much  out  of  personal  sym- 
pathies, as  because  he  deemed  it  necessary  for  the 
maintenance  of  European  equilibrium,  which,  he  feared, 
might  become  endangered  by  the  Triple  Alliance. 
His  amiability  towards  France  proceeded  more  from 
this  reason  than  from  anything  else.  By  no  means  a 
brilliant  man,  he  possessed  what  is  sometimes  infinitely 
better — an  extraordinary  amount  of  common  sense, 
that  invariably  dictated  to  him  the  best  course  to  pursue 
in  regard  to  the  interests  of  his  country.  He  had 
found  Russia  more  or  less  in  a  state  of  chaos  and  con- 
fusion, and  he  left  it  to  his  son  in  a  condition  of  un- 
precedented prosperity. 

With  his  sudden  removal  from  the  scene  of  European 
politics,  one  of  its  most  important  factors  disappeared, 
and  Russia  lost — for  a  time  at  least — a  certain  amount 
of  her  prestige  abroad.  Conscientious,  straightforward, 
honest,  and  kind,  Alexander  III.  had  known  how  to 
ally  firmness  with  kindness,  and  he  had  far  more 
generosity  and  broadness  in  his  views,  as  well  as  in 

222 


A  Loved  and  Respected  Monarch 

his   character,    than   the    pubhc   had   ever   known   or 
guessed. 

I  have  known  intimately  several  ministers  and 
statesmen  who  had  had  the  honour  to  discuss  with 
the  Emperor  some  of  the  most  important  and  serious 
questions  of  foreign  as  well  as  of  home  politics.  They 
have  all  told  me  the  same  thing;  that  all  his  judg- 
ments were  remarkable  for  a  singular  spirit  of  im- 
partiality and  justice  such  as  is  most  rarely  met  with 
in  a  Sovereign  whose  high  position  removes  him  more 
or  less  from  contact  with  the  realities  of  life.  His 
mind  was  so  thoroughly  honest  that  he  seldom  made 
mistakes,  and  whenever  such  a  thing  happened  he  was 
the  first  to  recognise  it,  and  to  acknowledge  any  error 
into  which  circumstances  had  caused  him  to  fall.  He 
sometimes  exhibited  prejudices,  but  these  had  always 
some  sound  reason  behind  them,  and  did  not  proceed 
from  fancy.  He  allowed  others  to  tell  him  the  truth, 
and  did  not  get  angry  when  contradicted,  nor  did  he 
harbour  any  grudge  against  those  who  differed  in 
opinion  from  him.  One  feared  him  considerably,  but 
one  loved  him,  and  one  respected  him  as  perhaps  few 
monarch s  have  ever  been  respected,  because  everyone, 
even  his  most  active  foes,  was  aware  that  he  cared 
above  eveiy thing  else  for  truth,  justice,  and  honesty. 
His  life  was  that  of  a  just  man.  His  death  was 
touching  in  its  resignation. 

This  Emperor,  whose  clear  blue  eyes  were  so  kind 
and  soft,  had  the  happiness  of  his  wife's  help  in  his 
heavy  task.  Her  smile  lightened  up  with  its  beauty 
the  whole  of  his  reign,  and  brought  to  it  a  halo  of 
grace  and  joy.     Amidst  the  cares  inseparable  from  his 

223 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

high  position,  he  found  at  his  own  fireside  the  comfort 
and  encouragement  of  a  devoted  affection,  a  deep 
tenderness,  and  an  absolute  sympathy  which  knew 
how  to  associate  itself  with  his  responsibilities  and 
to  help  him  carry  them. 

When  I  ponder  over  the  events  of  the  years  when 
Alexander  III.  presided  over  the  destinies  of  Russia, 
the  slight  figure  of  the  Empress  Marie  seems  to  pre- 
side over  that  whole  epoch  ;  and  again  I  see  her  soft 
looks  and  her  large,  dark  eyes,  which,  every  time 
they  met  those  of  her  husband,  brightened  up  with 
an  infinite  tenderness.  Placed  in  a  position  where 
her  every  action  was  criticised,  Marie  Feodorovna 
knew  how  to  disarm  every  critic.  To  see  her  only 
from  the  distance  was  considered  a  happiness ;  and 
whenever  she  entered  a  room  and  bowed  to  the  people 
assembled,  she  used  to  do  so  in  a  manner  that  was 
so  exclusively  her  own,  so  entirely  different  from  the 
usual  salutation  of  other  Sovereigns,  that  each  indi- 
vidual present  could  easily  believe  that  she  was  re- 
cognised by  the  Empress,  and  was  the  object  of  her 
special  welcome. 

The  Empress  was  not  only  amiable  by  nature,  but 
she  tried  to  show  herself  so.  She  knew  that  she  was 
liked,  and  she  rejoiced  in  the  feelings  that  she  in- 
spired. It  was  interesting,  whenever  young  girls 
were  presented  to  her  upon  their  entering  society, 
to  notice  the  kindness  with  which  she  greeted  them. 
She  always  sought  to  put  them  at  their  ease,  and 
to  manifest  her  desire  that  they  should  enjoy  them- 
selves at  the  balls  it  pleased  her  to  give  for  them. 
No    mother   could   have   been   more  tender   than   she 

224 


CO 

ra 


Marie  Feodorovna  in  Society 

showed  herself  upon  these  occasions.  And  for  it  the 
girls  worshipped  the  Empress  ever  afterwards. 

Marie  Feodorovna  liked  society,  and  was  fond  of 
dancing  and  of  dress,  but  though  the  most  elegant 
woman  in  her  Empire,  she  was  very  far  from  being 
frivolous  in  her  tastes,  as  some  people  have  accused 
her.  She  understood  in  its  highest  sense  the  mean- 
ing of  her  duties  and  of  her  mission  as  a  Sovereign. 
From  the  height  of  the  throne  upon  which  the  affection 
of  her  husband  had  raised  her  she  gave  the  most  touch- 
ing example  of  conjugal  devotion  and  of  love  for  her 
people.  She  understood  the  requirements  of  her  ex- 
alted station  down  to  their  smallest  details  ;  and  if 
she  liked  balls,  receptions,  and  gaiety  of  every  kind, 
it  was  partly  because  she  knew  that  they  were  on  the 
programme  of  the  existence  of  every  Sovereign,  who 
ought  to  lead  in  the  amusements  of  select  society. 

Whilst  never  faltering  in  the  attention  that  she 
gave  to  the  numerous  charitable  establishments  or  the 
educational  institutions  placed  under  her  patronage, 
she  watched  over  the  manners  and  morals  of  smart 
society,  and  gave  to  it  in  her  own  person  the  example 
of  all  the  virtues.  She  contrived  to  raise  the  moral 
standard  of  the  capital  and  to  give  to  St.  Petersburg 
society  a  dignity  of  conduct  that  excluded  vulgarity  as 
well  as  coarseness  of  language,  and  made  the  Russian 
capital  one  of  the  pleasantest  and  most  enjoyable  in 
Europe.  Everyone  looked  up  to  her,  and  tried  to 
deserve  her  friendship,  and,  as  it  was  very  well  known 
that  she  awarded  it  only  to  those  who  deserved  it,  one 
tried  to  become  worthy  of  it ;  society  strove  to  find 
its  happiness  in  the  fulfilment  of  its  duties. 

p  225 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Under  her  patronage  the  Court  of  St.  Petersburg 
was  most  brilhant,  and  at  the  same  time  innocent 
amusements  remained  the  order  of  the  day.  The 
Empress  Hked  society  and  all  that  it  offered  of  pleasant 
and  merry  enjoyments.  She  was  fond  of  dancing  for 
the  pleasure  that  she  found  in  it ;  of  dress,  because 
she  thought  with  reason  that  a  woman  ought  to  try 
and  look  nice  if  only  in  order  to  satisfy  her  husband's 
pride  in  her.  She  used  herself  to  wear  most  elegant 
clothes,  but  whilst  appearing  with  all  the  magnificence 
inherent  to  her  exalted  rank  when  it  was  necessary 
for  her  to  do  so,  no  one  was  more  simple  in  her  every- 
day apparel,  neither  did  she  ever  make  mistakes  of 
taste,  always  wearing  the  right  gown  in  the  right 
surroundings.  Under  her  auspices  a  luxury  devoid 
of  exaggeration  prevailed,  and  if  society  danced  often, 
it  knew  also  how  to  cultivate  intelligent  conversa- 
tion, and  to  discuss  the  events  of  the  day.  Marie 
Feodorovna's  mind  did  not  dread  the  remarks  of  others, 
and  she  favoured  the  interchange  of  opinions  among 
her  subjects.  She  was  afraid  of  nothing,  being  so 
entirely  secure  in  the  love  that  she  had  known  how 
to   inspire   in   her  people. 

The  children  of  the  Imperial  couple  were  worthy 
of  the  hope  that  their  parents,  as  well  as  the  whole 
nation,  had  placed  in  them. 

At  that  distant  time  of  which  I  am  writing,  the 
present  Emperor  of  Russia,  Nicholas  II.,  promised  to 
become  worthy  of  his  august  father  and  mother,  and 
to  justify  all  the  expectations  that  were  entwined 
around  his  person.  His  brother,  the  Grand  Duke 
George  Alexandrovitch,  was  not  living  in  St.  Petersburg 

226 


The  Happy  Imperial  Family 

on  account  of  his  health;  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga, 
now  married  to  Prince  Peter  of  Oldenburg,  was  still 
a  child,  almost  in  arms,  and  the  young  Grand 
Duchess  Xenia,  whose  large  eyes  were  so  much  like 
those  of  her  Imperial  mother,  was  only  beginning  to 
go  out  into  society,  and  promised  already  to  become 
the  exquisite  woman  she  is  to-day.  When  one  looked 
at  this  happy  family,  so  united,  so  worthy  of  all  the 
prosperities  this  earth  can  give,  one  could  not  foresee 
that  their  happiness  was  destined  to  be  so  quickly 
torn  to  pieces  by  the  premature  death  of  its  head, 
whose  existence  was  so  indispensable  to  the  welfare 
of  the  great  Russian  Empire. 


227 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    IMPERIAL   FAMILY 

WHEN  Alexander  III.  ascended  the  throne,  the 
Imperial  Family  was  much  more  numerous 
than  is  the  case  at  the  present  day.  The  Romanoffs, 
though  a  strong  and  powerful  race,  are  not  long- 
lived  ;  they  seldom  reach  the  age  of  sixty.  At  the 
period  of  which  I  write,  some  thirty  years  ago, 
the  brothers  and  the  cousins  of  the  Emperor  were 
enjoying  excellent  health,  and  they  could  often  be 
nnet  in  the  houses  of  the  different  members  of  Court 
society,  at  entertainments  which  they  liked  to  attend, 
^nd  where  they  were  always  welcome. 

The  Grand  Duke  Vladimir  Alexandrovitch,  the 
younger  brother  of  the  Sovereign,  was  a  splendid 
type  of  man,  a  really  grand  seigneur,  in  the  French 
acceptation  of  that  word,  extremely  cultured,  with  a 
keen  intelligence,  perfect  taste,  and  a  very  wide 
knowledge  of  art  and  artistic  questions.  Whenever  he 
visited  Paris — which  was  almost  every  spring  and 
autumn — he  liked  to  go  over  its  museums  and  curio- 
sities, and  I  remember  that  once,  in  the  course  of 
conversation,  M.  George  Cain,  the  distinguished  Con- 
servator of  the  Carnavalet  Museum,  and  the  man  who 
has  made  the  closest  study  of  old  Paris  such  as  it  was 
a  century  or  two  ago,  told  me  that  there  was  one  person 

228 


Grand  Duchess  Marie  Pavlovna 

who  knew  it  quite  as  well,  if  not  better  than  he  did, 
and  that  was  the  Grand  Duke  Vladimir,  who  had  also 
studied  the  history  of  ancient  Lutece,  who  cared  for 
each  of  its  stones,  and  who  was  perfectly  aware  of 
the  legends  attached  to  every  one  of  its  monuments, 
as  well  as  of  the  historical  associations  that  were 
entwined  around  it. 

The  Grand  Duke's  Consort,  the  Grand  Duchess 
Marie  Pavlovna,  exercised  during  her  youth  a  con- 
siderable influence  over  St.  Petersburg  society,  an  influ- 
ence which  is  stifl  very  important,  especially  in  certain 
circles  and  among  certain  people.  She  was  a  beautiful, 
graceful  Princess,  gifted  with  singular  qualities,  and 
who  could  produce  only  the  most  favourable  impression 
upon  all  those  with  whom  she  came  into  contact.  She 
was  a  truly  great  lady  in  her  manners,  and  she  has 
remained  in  her  old  age  a  type  of  the  Grand  Duchesses 
of  former  times,  such  as  the  traditions  of  the  eighteenth 
century  represent  them  to  us.  Her  personality  has 
been  freely  discussed,  but  all  that  I  can  say  about 
her  is  that  she  has  always  shown  herself  a  superior 
woman  in  all  the  different  incidents  of  her  life. 

The  second  brother  of  the  Emperor,  the  Grand 
Duke  Alexis,  was  an  exceedingly  pleasant  man,  and 
his  entertaining  conversation  was  vastly  appreciated 
by  his  friends.  He  was  a  great  favourite  in  society, 
but  did  not  frequent  it  much,  preferring  the  com- 
pany of  a  small  set,  with  whom  he  felt  perfectly  at 
his  ease. 

The  Grand  Duke  Serge  was  among  all  the  sons  of 
Alexander  II.  the  one  who  resembled  him  the  most, 
and  by  a  sad  coincidence  his  life  ended  in  the  same 

229 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

tragic  manner  as  that  of  his  father.  He  was  an  in- 
teUigent  man,  very  cultivated  and  well  read,  who  had 
had  the  fortune  to  win  for  his  wife  a  woman  gifted 
with  the  rarest  qualities  of  heart  and  soul,  whose  life 
was  but  one  long  sacrifice  to  the  welfare  of  her  neigh- 
bour and  the  relief  of  suffering  humanity.  Long  before 
she  buried  her  youth  and  her  beauty  under  the  heavy 
veil  of  the  nun,  after  the  catastrophe  that  had  widowed 
her,  the  Grand  Duchess  Elizabeth  had  already  shown 
herself  the  guardian  angel  of  the  unfortunate  and 
afflicted.  In  Moscow  she  was  revered  as  a  saint  from 
the  very  first  moment  that  she  came  to  live  there  ;  in 
her  family  circle  one  felt  for  her  that  admiration  and 
that  deep  reverence  which  exceptional  beings  alone 
can  inspire. 

I  remember  her  immediately  after  her  marriage, 
when  she  appeared  on  the  horizon  of  St.  Petersburg 
society  in  all  the  splendour  of  her  truly  marvellous 
beauty  and  of  her  brilliant  youth,  and  I  do  not  think 
that  a  brighter  vision  ever  graced  a  room  than  that 
of  this  lovely  Princess  when  she  entered  an  apart- 
ment slightly  behind  the  Empress,  or  followed  the 
latter  during  a  Court  festivity.  Among  all  the  remem- 
brances of  my  youth,  one  of  the  liveliest  that  has 
remained  engraved  upon  my  mind  is  a  quadrille  danced 
at  one  of  the  balls  in  the  Winter  Palace.  In  it  Marie 
Feodorovna  was  surrounded  by  her  three  sisters-in- 
law,  the  Grand  Duchesses  Marie  Pavlovna,  Elizabeth 
Feodorovna,  and  Alexandra  Georgievna,  the  young 
wife  of  the  Grand  Duke  Paul  Alexandrovitch,  so  soon 
to  be  snatched  away  by  death.  These  four  lovely 
women,  in  the  splendour  of  their  festive  attire  and  of 

230 


Grand  Duchess  Alexandra 

their  sparkling  jewels,  made  one  of  those  sights  that 
one  likes  to  evoke  in  after  life. 

The  Grand  Duchess  Alexandra  Georgievna  was 
the  daughter  of  the  late  King  George  of  Greece  and 
of  that  noble  Queen  Olga,  whose  gentle,  kind  personality 
has  done  so  much  to  consolidate  and  render  popular 
the  Danish  dynasty  on  the  Greek  Throne.  Her  mar- 
riage with  the  Grand  Duke  Paul  had  been  a  source  of 
great  delight  to  the  whole  of  the  Imperial  Family, 
who  had  welcomed  with  the  utmost  pleasure  the 
arrival  in  its  midst  of  the  young  Greek  Princess.  In- 
telligent, charming,  bright,  she  conquered  all  hearts 
from  the  first  moment  she  appeared  in  Russia,  and 
it  is  quite  certain  that  she  would  have  had  quite  an 
exceptional  position  in  St.  Petersburg  society  if  death 
had  not  brutally  destroyed  all  the  hopes  centred  in 
her,  and  carried  away  that  young  and  useful  life.  The 
Grand  Duke  Paul  lives  now  almost  the  whole  year 
abroad  ;  the  daughter  of  Alexandra  Georgievna  .  has 
also  left  Russia  for  a  time,  and,  except  a  marble  tomb 
in  the  fortress  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  there  is  nothing 
left  in  St.  Petersburg  to  remind  one  of  the  sweet, 
graceful  being  who  contrived  to  do  so  much  good  and 
to  win  for  herself  so  many  friends  during  her  short 
life. 

The  uncles  of  the  Emperor  were  still  alive  when  I 
settled  in  Russia.  I  scarcely  knew  them,  having  only 
been  presented  to  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas  Nicolaie- 
vitch  during  one  of  the  latter's  journeys  to  Berlin, 
and  to  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine  Nicolaievitch 
one  evening  at  a  small  reception  given  by  his  wife, 
the  Grand  Duchess  Alexandra  Feodorovna,  who  showed 

231 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

me  always  much  kindness  on  account  of  my  mother, 
of  whom  she  had  been  extremely  fond.  As  for  the 
Grand  Duke  Michael  Nicolaicvitch,  I  often  met  him, 
though  he  rarely  spoke  to  me  otherwise  than  to  say 
good  morning ;  but  I  had  the  honour  to  be  some- 
times received  by  his  wife,  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga 
Feodorovna,  a  Princess  of  Baden  by  birth,  and  a 
very  cultured  woman.  Among  the  Grand  Duchesses 
she  was  the  one  that  knew  best  how  to  receive  the 
guests  she  invited  to  her  house,  and  who  did  so  in 
the  kindest  manner,  without,  however,  falling  into 
any  unnecessary  familiarity.  She  was  extremely  well 
learned  and  read,  was  fond  of  art  and  literature,  keep- 
ing herself  admirably  informed  as  to  new  books  worth 
reading.  Owing  to  this  habit  she  was  better  aware 
than  most  people  in  Russia  of  the  state  of  public 
opinion  at  home  or  abroad.  She  held  the  opinion  that, 
life  being  short,  it  was  useless  to  waste  any  part  of 
it  in  talking  with  people  who  were  not  worthy  of 
attention.  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  character  and 
exceptional  qualities,  and  her  relatively  premature 
death  constituted  an  enormous  loss  for  her  family  as 
well  as  for  the  cultured  circle  of  St.  Petersburg  society. 

All  the  children  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga  became 
distinguished  men.  The  literary  and  historical  works 
of  her  eldest  son,  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas  Michailo- 
vitch,  would  have  assured  him  a  considerable  place 
among  the  savants  of  his  generation,  even  if  he  had 
been  a  private  person  instead  of  a  member  of  a  reign- 
ing house.  The  activity  displayed  by  the  Grand 
Duke  Alexander  Michailovitch,  the  husband  of  the 
present   Emperor's   sister,   the   Grand   Duchess  Xenia, 

232 


A  Royal  Playwright 

in  the  cause  of  aviation,  which  he  has  zealously  pro- 
pagated in  Russia,  is  well  known  everywhere.  All 
these  Princes  have  tried  to  make  themselves  useful  to 
their  country.  I  have  mentioned  the  Grand  Duke 
Constantine  Nicolaievitch.  His  son,  the  Grand  Duke 
Constantine  Constantinovitch,  is  also  an  example  of 
the  fact  that  students  and  authors  can  be  found  on 
the  steps  of  a  throne.  The  poetical  works  of  that 
Prince  will  give  him  a  lasting  place  in  Russian  litera- 
ture, and  he  did  more  than  anyone  else  to  develop 
among  high-born  society  in  St.  Petersburg  a  taste  for 
all  things  that  belong  to  the  domain  of  art  and  science. 
He  encouraged  private  theatricals,  where  exclusively 
Russian  dramas  and  comedies  were  enacted,  such  as 
the  works  of  Count  Alexis  Tolstoy,  the  cousin  of  Count 
Leo,  and  others  in  the  same  style. 

Last  winter  the  Grand  Duke's  own  tragedy.  The 
King  of  the  Jews,  which  treated  of  Christ's  passion 
and  death,  was  represented,  by  special  permission  of 
the  Emperor,  on  the  stage  of  the  Imperial  Theatre, 
where  it  obtained  considerable  success,  being  most 
impressively  acted  and  written  in  flowing  lyric  verses 
that  deeply  moved  the  audience.  The  staging  of  this 
tragedy  caused  quite  a  mild  stir  and  sensation  in 
St.  Petersburg  society,  as  the  Holy  Synod  objected  to 
its  being  authorised  on  the  ground  that  it  was  not 
reverential  to  discuss  the  incidents  attending  the 
sacred  death  in  a  theatrical  production  ;  they  upheld 
this  attitude  despite  the  deep  religious  atmosphere 
that  pervaded  the  whole  work.  However,  the  Emperor 
overruled  the  prejudices  of  the  clergy,  and  gave  his 
own  theatre  to  his  cousin,  with  the  sole  condition  that 

233 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

the  invitations  should  be  hmited  to  a  certain  circle 
of  people,  and  the  general  public  not  allowed  in.  The 
Grand  Duke,  however,  with  the  truly  liberal  spirit  of 
which  he  has  always  given  proof,  sent  out  invitations 
to  the  representatives  of  the  Russian  as  well  as  of 
the  foreign  press,  and  for  the  first  time  these  found 
themselves  admitted  as  honoured  guests  in  the  Imperial 
Palace,  and  in  the  theatre  which  the  great  Catherine 
herself  had  caused  to  be  built  for  the  entertainment 
of  her  Court. 

The  Grand  Duke  Constantine  married  a  Princess 
of  Saxe-Altenburg,  a  lady  of  high  culture  and  attain- 
ments, and  the  couple  led  a  most  affectionate  life, 
surrounded  by  their  numerous  children,  the  eldest  of 
whom  has  married  the  Princess  Helene  of  Servia,  the 
daughter  of  the  present  King. 

Alexander  III.  had  also  a  distant  aunt,  the  Grand 
Duchess  Catherine  Michailovna,  the  daughter  of  the 
famous  Grand  Duchess  Helene  Pavlovna,  whose  salon 
exercised  such  a  considerable  influence  during  the  early 
years  of  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  II.  The 
Grand  Duchess  Catherine  only  died  in  1894,  a  few 
months  before  the  father  of  the  present  Tsar,  and  I 
knew  her  very  well,  having  sometimes  been  invited  to 
dinner,  as  well  as  to  the  small  receptions  which  she 
was  very  fond  of  giving.  She  was  kind  and  charitable, 
and  an  excellent  Princess— a  great  lady  with  dignified 
manners,  who  liked  society  and  was  fond  of  entertain- 
ing. She  used  to  give  her  attention  to  numerous 
charitable  institutions,  whilst  trying  her  best  to  keep 
up  the  old  traditions  which  she  had  inherited  from 
her  parents. 

234 


Countess  Zeneide  Beauharnais 

The  Leuchtenberg  Princes,  sons  of  the  Grand 
Duchess  Marie  Nicolaievna,  the  sister  of  Alexander  II., 
were  always  treated  like  Grand  Dukes,  and  bore  also 
the  title  of  Imperial  Highness.  The  daughters  also  were 
given  equal  rank.  Duke  Eugene  had  married  a  dis- 
tant cousin  of  mine,  Mile.  Skobeleff,  the  sister  of  the 
famous  general  of  that  name.  She  was  first  known 
after  her  marriage  as  Countess  Beauharnais,  but  later 
on  created  Duchess  of  Leuchtenberg  by  Alexander  III., 
who  was  always  very  fond  of  her.  I  have  seen  many 
pretty  women  in  the  course  of  my  already  long  life,  but 
I  have  never  met  such  a  radiant  creature  as  Zeneide 
Beauharnais,  or  Zina,  as  her  family  called  her.  This 
word  "  radiant "  is  the  only  one  that  can  describe 
her  properly  ;  there  was  in  her  whole  being  something 
so  unusual,  that  whenever  she  entered  a  room  she 
eclipsed  all  others  by  the  incomparable  charm  that 
emanated  from  her  person  ;  even  those  who  reviled 
her  most  unsparingly  envied  her  most  sincerely,  and 
were  forced  to  acknowledge  her  superlative  attractive- 
ness. 

To  all  the  physical  and  intellectual  gifts  that  dis- 
tinguished her,  Zeneide  Beauharnais  added  a  sincere 
kindness  of  nature.  One  never  heard  her  say  an  un- 
kind thing  or  make  a  nasty  remark,  or  echo  ill-natured 
gossip.  She  was  criticised  unsparingly  among  the 
people  whom  her  beauty  and  success  displeased,  but 
she  never  noticed  it,  and  used  to  go  on  her  way  serene 
and  unconscious  of  the  evil  of  a  world  that  she  always 
tried  to  view  through  rosy  spectacles.  Unhappily,  she 
died  while  still  quite  young.  Her  husband  followed 
her  very  soon  to  the  grave,  and  of  all  the  Leuchtenberg 

235 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

family  there  remains  alive  but  one  member,  the  Princess 
Eugenie  of  Oldenburg,  also  a  distinguished  woman, 
and  deserving  more  than  passing  notice.  She  was 
the  most  admirable  hostess  St.  Petersburg  has  ever 
seen.  Her  husband,  Prince  Alexander  of  Oldenburg, 
also  has  consecrated  all  his  activity,  as  his  father, 
Prince  Peter,  had  done  before  him,  to  philanthropic 
deeds,  and  Russia  owes  him  a  great  deal  in  that  respect. 
He  is  president  of  several  schools  and  of  the  Institute 
of  Experimental  Medicine,  and  is  himself  a  man  of 
high  learning  and  erudition. 

In  relating  these  incidents  and  expressing  these 
views  of  the  Russian  Imperial  Family,  I  hope  to 
banish  prejudices  that  exist  concerning  it.  It  is  false 
to  represent  our  Grand  Dukes  as  riotous  people,  who 
only  care  for  their  personal  amusements.  The  truth 
is  that  among  the  members  of  our  reigning  house 
there  are  to  be  found  a  considerable  number  of  dis- 
tinguished men  and  women  who  lead  useful,  busy 
lives,  devoid  of  aimlessness,  and  whose  ambitions  are 
directed  towards  noble  ends  and  the  fulfilment  of  the 
duties  of  their  high  station.  In  that  respect  the 
Romanoffs  can  serve  as  an  example  to  many  other 
dynasties. 


236 


CHAPTER   III 

SOME    OF   THE    EMPEROR's    MINISTERS 

ALEXANDER  III.  did  not  like  to  see  new  faces 
k-  around  him.  He  seldom  parted  from  any  of 
his  advisers,  and  during  the  thirteen  years  of  his  reign 
Count  Nicholas  Ignatieff  was  about  the  only  one  he 
dismissed  with  any  approach  to  haste. 

Count  Ignatieff  was  called  by  the  Emperor  to  the 
responsible  post  of  Minister  of  the  Interior  a  few 
weeks  after  the  Sovereign's  accession.  He  was  very 
popular  among  the  old  Russian  Conservative  party, 
over  whom  he  had  retained  great  influence,  notwith- 
standing the  disappointments  that  had  followed  upon 
the  war  with  Turkey  in  1877  and  the  Berlin  Congress. 
During  the  whole  time  of  his  sojourn  at  Constantinople 
Russian  prestige  was  high  in  the  Near  East,  and  the 
Treaty  of  San  Stefano,  as  originally  drawn  up  by 
him  previous  to  its  revision  by  the  Great  Powers, 
had  thoroughly  satisfied  the  pride  of  the  Russian 
nation.  The  Emperor,  whilst  still  Heir  Apparent  to 
the  Crown,  had  followed  Count  Ignatieff' s  political 
career  with  great  attention,  and  when  he  offered  him 
the  portfolio  of  the  Interior — the  most  difficult  post 
in  the  whole  Empire — he  did  so  with  the  idea  that 
he  would  find  in  him  a  faithful  and  obedient  servant, 

237 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

who  would  submit  blindly  to  the  orders  of  his  Imperial 
master. 

Unfortunately,  the  personal  character  of  each  of 
the  two  men  was  so  entirely  different  that  the  impossi- 
bility of  their  working  together  soon  became  very 
evident.  The  Emperor  was  of  a  particularly  frank 
and  straight  disposition,  and  his  strong,  loyal,  earnest 
nature  refused  to  admit  the  possibility  of  even  the 
slightest  compromise  in  questions  where  his  principles 
were  concerned.  Ignatieff,  however,  had  lived  far  too 
long  in  the  East  not  to  have  become  imbued  to  a 
certain  degree  with  the  conviction  that,  provided  one 
reached  the  goal  in  view,  that  fact  justified  whatever 
means  were  employed.  He  fully  realised  the  aspira- 
tions of  a  certain  part  of  the  Russian  nation  to  in- 
augurate a  system  of  government  akin  to  that  practised 
in  other  European  countries,  and  he  imagined  that  it 
would  be  possible  by  means  of  certain  concessions  to 
provide  it  with  a  semblance  of  constitution  that  would 
mean  little  beyond  empty  words.  Alexander  III.  re- 
fused to  accept  such  a  compromise  ;  he  considered  it 
to  be  beneath  his  dignity  as  a  Sovereign  and  his  self- 
respect  as  a  man. 

Under  these  conditions  a  rupture  was  inevitable, 
and,  indeed,  had  been  long  forseen  by  those  who  knew 
the  Emperor  and  his  adviser  :  Count  Ignatieff  had  to 
resign  his  post.  Russia  required  at  this  period  of  its 
history  the  rule  of  a  firm  hand,  and  it  is  to  the  honour 
of  the  Monarch  that  his  love  for  his  country,  in  alliance 
with  his  clear  common  sense,  showed  to  him  at  once 
and  without  hesitation  the  right  road  to  take.  He 
knew   and   understood   his   people ;     he   realised   what 

238 


Count  Ignatieff's  Foresight 

they  required,  and  how  they  wanted  to  be  led  ;  he 
also  saw  that,  above  all,  the  nation  wanted  to  know 
the  path  by  which  it  was  being  led  toward  greatness 
and  prosperity. 

I  was  very  fond  of  Count  Ignatieff,  not  only  because 
I  was  related  to  him,  but  also  by  reason  of  his  good 
qualities.  He  was  a  very  remarkable  and  singular 
personage,  and  a  great  patriot,  even  when  he  happened 
to  be  mistaken  in  his  points  of  view  or  in  his  actions. 
His  views  on  politics  were  very  clear  and  of  a  very 
high  order,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  if  he  had  been 
hstened  to  in  1877,  the  Russian  Army  would  have 
entered  Constantinople,  and  obliged  Europe  to  accept 
the  fact.  It  is  also  impossible  to  deny  that  the  Treaty 
of  San  Stefano,  such  as  he  had  drawn  it,  would  have 
ensured  later  on  a  more  permanent  peace  in  the 
Balkans  than  did  the  Berlin  Congress,  of  which  the 
only  tangible  result  was  to  procure  unhoped-for  advan- 
tages to  Austria  as  well  as  to  England. 

When  he  retired  from  public  life,  Count  Ignatieff 
spent  each  winter  in  St.  Petersburg,  and  for  a  con- 
siderable number  of  years  was  President  of  the  Slavonic 
Society,  where  his  influence  was  exercised  in  favour  of 
Russian  influence  in  the  Balkans.  He  died  a  few  years 
ago  at  a  very  advanced  age. 

His  successor  as  Minister  of  the  Interior,  Count 
Dmitry  Tolstoy,  was  a  very  different  character,  and 
belonged  to  that  order  of  statesmen  who,  certain  of 
their  own  power,  go  through  public  life  without  look- 
ing back,  and  without  the  slightest  misgiving  as  to 
the  advisability  of  the  course  they  have  embarked 
upon.     He    was    exactly    the    man    that    an    autocrat 

239 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

such  as  Alexander  III.  required,  and  he  became  one 
of  his  most  valued  colleagues.  Count  Tolstoy  was 
often  accused  of  following  an  out-of-date  policy.  This 
reproach  was  not  fair,  because,  under  his  administra- 
tion, the  country  not  only  recuperated  itself  after 
the  wounds  inflicted  upon  it  by  the  Turkish  war  and 
the  subsequent  Nihilist  agitation,  but,  moreover,  entered 
upon  an  era  of  prosperity  such  as  it  had  not  known 
since  the  Crimean  campaign.  The  serene  peacefulness 
that  prevailed  throughout  Russia  at  the  time  of  his 
death  constituted  the  greatest  praise  of  his  states- 
manship. 

M.  Dournovo,  one  of  his  subordinates,  succeeded 
Count  Tolstoy,  and  in  his  turn  was  succeeded  by 
M.  Goremykin,  who  to-day  occupies  the  responsible 
post  of  Prime  Minister.  It  is  the  general  opinion 
of  those  most  able  to  form  a  judgment  concerning 
him  that  M.  Goremykin  is  one  of  the  greatest 
intelligences  in  Russia.  One  of  my  greatest  friends, 
General  Tcherevine,  used  always  to  say  that  it  would 
be  a  happy  day  for  Russia  when  M.  Goremykin 
became  head  of  its  government.  He  is  one  of  the 
very  few  men  upon  whose  private  or  political  life  no 
breath  of  suspicion  has  ever  rested.  A  devoted  servant 
of  his  Sovereign,  a  faithful  citizen  of  his  country,  he 
is  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  enlightened  minds 
in  his  generation,  blameless  as  a  man,  and  above 
reproach  as  a  statesman. 

One  of  the  first  cares  of  Alexander  III.  when  he 
ascended  the  throne  was  to  put  the  finances  of  his 
empire  on  a  strong  and  healthy  footing.  In  that 
respect,  too,   he  succeeded  in  finding  some  intelligent 

240 


M.  Wischnegradsky  and  Finance 

collaborators,  and  most  certainly  it  is  to  his  efforts 
in  that  direction  that  Russia  owes  her  actual  immense 
material  prosperity.  Under  the  direction  of  Alex- 
ander III.,  M.  Wischnegradsky  at  first,  and  Count 
Witte  later  on,  gave  a  new  impulse  to  the  industry, 
as  well  as  to  the  financial  affairs  of  the  country. 

M.  Wischnegradsky  was  one  of  my  best  friends. 
This  reason  prevents  me  from  saying  all  that  I  would 
like  concerning  him,  and  his  death  was  a  sincere 
and  lasting  sorrow  to  me.  He  was  a  man  gifted  with 
a  rare  intelligence  and  with  a  most  marvellous  capacity 
for  working ;  it  was,  indeed,  entirely  due  to  over- 
work that  he  contracted  the  illness  which  finally 
resulted  in  his  relatively  early  death.  He  entertained 
a  touching  affection  and  devotion  for  the  person  of 
the  Emperor.  A  letter  which  he  wrote  to  me  at  the 
time  when  the  state  of  his  health  obliged  him  to  retire 
from  public  life  so  vividly  portrays  how  faithful  a 
servant  the  Crown  lost  in  him,  that  I  am  impelled  to 
quote  one  of  its  passages  : 

"As  to  myself  personally,"  he  wrote,  "  I  have  not 
been  very  lucky  this  year.  With  the  exception  of 
the  five  weeks  which  I  spent  in  the  Crimea,  I  have 
had  cold  and  rainy  weather  everywhere,  and  this  pre- 
vented my  health  so  from  improving  that  it  is  still 
in  a  very  precarious  condition,  requiring  much  care 
and  considerable  quiet,  undisturbed  by  worries  or 
responsibilities.  Of  course,  I  had  to  explain  all  this 
quite  frankly  and  sincerely,  and  I  have  had  the  immense 
happiness  to  find  that  my  explanations  have  been 
received  with  a  kindness  and  cordiality  I  had  hardly  a 
right  to  expect.     These  feelings  concerning  myself  have 

Q  241 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

been  expressed  in  most  gracious  and  cordial  words, 
which  have  entirely  relieved  my  mind  and  filled  my 
heart  with  unbounded  gratitude,  especially  because  in 
conveying  them  to  me  it  has  been  hinted  that  I  could 
still  hope  in  the  future  to  be  useful  to  my  country 
without  tiring  myself  to  the  extent  that  was  necessary 
to  fill  properly  the  functions  hitherto  entrusted  to  me. 

"  This  has  quite  reinstated  the  serenity  of  my  mind 
— so  imperative  to  my  recovery — and  I  feel  myself 
already  considerably  better.  Pray  excuse  me,  my 
dearest  of  friends,  if  I  worry  you  so  much  with  details 
that  concern  me  personally,  but  you  have  always 
shown  such  interest  in  my  career  that  I  feel  sure  it 
will  not  bore  you  too  much  to  read  this  letter.  I 
am  satisfied  that  you  will  experience  considerable 
pleasure  in  learning  that  I  feel  quite  satisfied  as  to 
my  health,  and  that  everything  that  has  taken  place 
has  not  only  given  me  great  satisfaction,  but  has 
even  gone  far  beyond  what  I  could  hope  or  expect." 

I  have  copied  this  letter  without  suppressing  any 
essential  part  because  it  conveys  an  idea  of  the  kind- 
ness with  which  Alexander  III.  treated  all  who  were 
associated  with  him  in  governing  the  country,  as  well 
as  the  affection  and  devotion  which  he  inspired  in  them 
for  his  own  person. 

M.  Wischnegradsky  was  succeeded  as  Minister  of 
Finance  by  a  personage  who  has  played  a  much  more 
considerable  part  in  the  world,  and  whose  signature 
figures  at  the  bottom  of  a  document,  about  which 
Russia  can  only  think  with  deep  and  lasting  sorrow. 
1  mean  the  Treaty  of  Portsmouth.  Apart  from  this, 
Count  Witte  will  occupy  a  most  important  place  in  the 

242 


Witte  on  Political  Progress 

history  of  modern  Russia  on  account  of  the  many 
important  poKtical  measures  with  which  he  has  been 
associated,  not  the  least  being  the  promulgation  of 
the  Imperial  Manifesto  of  October  17th,  1905.  He  is 
a  man  with  enthusiastic  friends  and  passionate  enemies, 
and  who  has  ever  distinguished  himself  by  a  grand 
indifference  to  the  opinions  of  others  concerning  him- 
self. His  views  are  those  of  a  really  great  statesman, 
capable  of  making  mistakes  but  not  of  acting  stupidly. 
In  opinions  he  is  pertinacious,  in  intentions  persevering, 
and  in  actions  free  from  meanness. 

There  was  a  time  when  I  used  to  see  him  often. 
One  day,  when  he  called,  we  talked  upon  general 
subjects,  and  he  expressed  the  following  remarkable 
opinion,  which  I  have  never  forgotten  : 

"  Every  statesman  goes  through  four  different 
phases  in  his  public  life.  During  the  first  he  is  hated 
by  everybody  ;  in  the  second  he  excites  surprise  ;  ad- 
miration for  him  begins  in  the  third  stage  ;  but  when 
the  fourth  arrives  he  meets  with  servility  wherever  he 
goes.  I  am  talking  here,  of  course,  only  of  a  states- 
man who  has  contrived  not  only  to  reach  the  summit 
of  his  ambitions,  but  also  succeeded  in  maintaininor 
himself  there.  As  concerns  myself,  I  am  just  passing 
out  of  the  first  into  the  second  of  these  phases,  and 
it  is  the  most  difficult  one,  because  the  remaining  two 
follow  quite  naturally.  At  the  present  moment  all  the 
other  ministers  are  my  adversaries,  because  they  do 
not  understand  that  Russia  requires  to  be  governed 
in  a  truly  Russian  sense.  It  is  for  that  reason  that 
a  former  Minister  of  Finance,  M.  Bunge,  told  me  in 
the    Council   of    State   that    he    would    always    oppose 

243 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

anything  which  I  might  propose,  because  he  believed 
all  my  plans  tended  towards  the  destruction  of 
what  had  been  accomplished  during  the  former  reign  ; 
to  this  I  replied  that  we  ought  only  to  be  concerned 
with  the  present." 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  this  conversation 
took  place  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1894,  when 
Alexander  III.  was  still  on  the  throne. 

At  that  distant  period  the  plans  of  Count,  then 
M.,  Witte  and  his  intentions  were  imbued  with  an  even 
greater  leaning  towards  autocracy  and  despotism  than 
those  of  M.  Pobedonostseff  himself.  His  great  am- 
bition and  desire  was  to  re-establish  corporal  punish- 
ment, to  limit  the  authority  of  the  Courts  of  Law  by 
making  them  entirely  subservient  to  instruction  from 
the  Sovereign,  and  in  general  to  govern  the  country 
with  an  iron  hand  divested  of  a  velvet  glove.  When 
one  day  I  remarked  to  him  that,  after  all,  a  revolution 
was  nevertheless  as  possible  in  Russia  as  much  as  in 
any  other  country,  he  replied  to  me  in  a  most  decided 
manner  that  he  personally  did  not  believe  at  all  in 
such  a  possibility,  because  the  nation  would  never 
dare  to  carry  its  discontent  and  its  desire  for  a  change 
of  government  to  such  lengths.  He  then  expressed 
the  views  which  he  held  at  that  time  concerning 
the  administration  of  the  finances,  at  the  head  of 
which  he  had  been  appointed.      His  words  were  : 

"  A  Minister  cannot  practise  economy  in  the  admin- 
istration of  a  State  ;  money  can  only  be  found  by 
spending  it  lavishly.  One  must  open  wide  credits  to 
private  people  in  order  to  give  them  the  possibility 
of  meeting  moments  of  crisis,  such  as  occur  in  every 

244 


Wise  Clemency 

life.  But  so  far  as  the  peasants  and  rural  classes  are 
concerned,  before  everything  else  they  must  have 
knocked  out  of  their  heads  the  idea  that  in  general 
they  have  something  to  claim.  I  am  quite  willing 
not  to  insist  on  their  paying  the  arrears  of  taxes  which 
I  know  they  will  never  be  able  to  meet,  but  I  do  not 
wish  them  to  reckon  upon  the  fact  as  a  right.  I  should 
always  wait  before  making  concessions  for  some  extra- 
ordinary event,  such  as,  for  instance,  would  be  the 
marriage  of  the  Heir  to  the  Throne." 

This  insight  into  the  state  of  mind  of  the  Russian 
peasants  shows  that  Count  Witte  knew  his  country 
admirably  well,  because  one  of  the  principal  causes  of 
all  the  disorders  that  have  ever  taken  place  in  Russia 
has  been  the  absurd  idea  that  has  prevailed  among 
the  rural  classes  ever  since  the  emancipation  of  the 
serfs,  that  the  Sovereign  was  going  to  take  away  land 
from  its  former  owners  in  order  to  present  it  to  the 
peasantry.  Every  statesman  was  more  or  less  aware 
of  this  peculiarity,  and  having  also  some  experience 
of  the  activities  of  agitators  who  tried  to  persuade 
the  peasants  to  claim  the  land,  was  therefore  obliged 
to  struggle  against  this  foolish  idea. 

The  Emperor  Alexander  III.  had  understood  the 
need  for  combating  this  superstition  better  than  any- 
one else  when,  at  the  time  of  his  coronation  in  Moscow, 
he  made  his  famous  speech  to  the  representatives  of 
the  peasants  then  assembled  within  the  walls  of  the 
White  Stone  city,  as  it  is  still  familiarly  called.  In 
that  oration  he  declared  to  them  that  he  would  always 
protect  the  principle  of  private  property,  no  matter 
in  whose  hands  it  rested,  and  that  the  peasants  had 

245 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

better  understand  and  thoroughly  reahse  that  he  would 
never  dispossess  in  their  favour  the  present  owners 
of  the  soil.  These  solemn  words  did  more  toward  the 
pacification  of  the  public  mind  in  the  country  than 
anything  else  would  have  done,  and  the  Russian  nobility 
owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  Emperor  Alexander  III. 
for  having  uttered  them. 

During  the  eventful  years  of  1905  and  1906  I  was 
not  living  in  Russia,  and  therefore  cannot  add  any- 
thing from  personal  knowledge  respecting  Count 
Witte  during  that  important  epoch  in  Russian  history. 

In  mentioning  the  Ministers  and  other  officials  of 
the  late  Emperor,  I  find  that  I  have  not  said  anything 
yet  concerning  M.  de  Giers,  who  remained  at  the  head 
of  the  Foreign  Office  during  the  whole  time  Alexander 
III.  was  on  the  throne.  M.  de  Giers  was  the  pupil 
of  Prince  Gortschakov  and  a  diplomat  of  the  old  school 
which  still  believed  in  the  personal  influence  of  sove- 
reigns in  the  conduct  of  the  political  affairs  of  the 
world,  as  well  as  in  that  of  family  alliances.  The 
reproach  was  often  levelled  at  M.  de  Giers  that  he  was 
lacking  in  initiative,  and  it  was  not  an  unjust  one. 
It  is  a  question,  however,  whether  a  Minister  with 
personal  initiative  would  have  been  the  right  man  in 
the  right  place  beside  the  Emperor  Alexander  III., 
whose  policy  was  an  eminently  sound  and  healthy  one, 
entirely  Russian,  and  answering  to  the  requirements 
and  the  needs  of  Russia.  At  this  distance  of  time  I 
do  not  remember  who  it  was  said  that  autocracy 
would  be  an  ideal  form  of  government,  provided  it 
was  being  exercised  by  a  clever  autocrat  without  any 
leanings  towards  tyranny.     Whoever  may  accept  this 

246 


Influence  of  M.  PobedonostseflF 

paradox  must  admit  that  no  autocrat  ever  understood 
his  duties  and  his  mission  better  than  the  father  of 
our  present  gracious  sovereign,  and  must  also  recognise 
the  further  fact  that  his  administration  brought  noth- 
ing but  prosperity  to  his  subjects. 

Before  ending  this  chapter,  I  must  say  a  few  words 
concerning  the  famous  Procurator  of  the  Holy  Synod, 
M.  Pobedonostseff,  whose  powerful  personality  exer- 
cised such  considerable  influence  during  the  whole  life 
and  reign  of  Alexander  III.  I  numbered  him  among 
my  personal  friends,  if  I  can  make  use  of  such  an 
expression  in  view  of  the  enormous  distance  that 
separated  a  young  woman  of  the  age  I  was  at  that 
time  from  the  great  and  mighty  statesman  that  M. 
Pobedonostseff  was.  He  always  treated  me  with  in- 
finite kindness  and  an  affability  for  which  I  shall  always 
feel  grateful.  M.  Pobedonostseff  was  one  of  the  most 
learned  men  of  his  generation  and  also  of  Europe  : 
the  works  which  he  has  written  are  considered  as 
classics,  and  in  matters  of  jurisprudence  few  people 
have  equalled  him.  What  is  not  so  well  known  abroad, 
where  he  has  been  represented  as  a  harsh,  cold  man, 
is  his  amiability,  his  charm  of  conversation,  the  shrewd- 
ness and  extreme  delicacy  of  his  mind,  which  made 
conversation  with  him  entirely  attractive.  In  spite  of 
the  extreme  rigidity  of  his  principles,  he  knew  better 
than  anyone  else  how  to  make  concessions  to  circum- 
stances, and  was  never  absolute  in  his  judgments  or 
appreciations.  He  was  an  ardent  patriot  and  a  con- 
vinced adherent  of  the  Orthodox  Church,  and  he 
lived  a  life  always  consistent  with  himself,  and  with 
the  principles   of  fidelity   and    loyalty    to    the    throne 

247 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

that   he    served    during  the  whole    course  of   his   long 
life. 

Standing  as  it  does  in  history  next  to  the  imposing 
figure  of  Alexander  III.,  the  personality  of  his  old 
teacher,  who  had  become  his  friend  and  adviser,  shines 
with  a  brilliancy  almost  equal  to  that  of  the  Emperor. 
Pobedonostseff  lived  the  life  of  a  just  man,  and  when 
he  died  he  could  do  so  peacefully.  In  repeating  his 
Nunc  dimittis  he  had  the  consciousness  of  an  accom- 
plished task,  undertaken  and  finished  courageously 
without  any  faintness  of  heart,  fulfilled  with  affection 
for  the  country  he  had  loved  so  well,  and  for  a  monarch 
whom  he  had  obeyed  and  helped  with  all  the  experi- 
ence of  his  earnest,  wonderful,  and  clear  intelligence. 


248 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    PERSONAL   FRIENDS    OF   THE    EMPEROR 

ALEXANDER  III.  did  not  give  his  friendship 
k-  easily,  but,  once  given,  those  who  found  them- 
selves honoured  with  it  knew  that  they  could  always 
rely  on  the  kindness  of  their  Sovereign,  unless  they 
were  guilty  of  some  grave  error.  Among  the  many 
qualities  of  the  late  Emperor  were  his  knowledge  of 
men  and  the  accuracy  of  his  judgments  concerning 
their  character.  Of  those  who  helped  him  in  govern- 
ing, not  one  man  proved  unworthy  of  his  choice.  In 
his  immediate  entourage  only  honest  people  were  to 
be  found;  and  among  his  ministers,  whilst  some  were 
good  and  some  bad,  none  proved  greedy,  or  capable 
of  putting  his  own  interest  before  that  of  his  Sovereign 
or  of  his  country.  The  intimate  friends  of  Alexander 
III.  were  not  numerous,  but  they  surrounded  him  with 
great  devotion  and  absolute  disinterestedness.  He 
knew  how  to  appreciate  such  faithfulness,  and  he  gave 
reward  not  so  much  in  honours  and  dignities,  as  invari- 
able kindness  of  treatment  and  the  confidence  which 
he  reposed  in  them.  He  did  not  care  to  see  new  faces 
around  him,  and  his  military  household  was  consider- 
ably reduced  in  numbers  compared  with  that  of  his 
predecessor.  Thus  during  the  thirteen  years  he  occu- 
pied the  throne  he  only  nominated  one  general  aide- 

240 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

de-camp  in  constant  attendance  on  himself,  and  some 
three  or  four  others,  selecting  men  he  knew  person- 
ally and  whom  he  liked  to  have  near  him. 

His  greatest  friend  and  most  faithful  councillor 
was  Count  Woronzoff  Dachkoff,  who  held  the  difficult 
post  of  Minister  of  the  Imperial  Household.  Long 
before  the  accession  of  Alexander  III.  he  had  been 
honoured  with  his  confidence  and  affection,  and  at 
the  present  moment  he  occupies  the  responsible  position 
of  Viceroy  of  the  Caucasus.  During  the  preceding  reign 
Count  Woronzoff  had  attained  quite  an  exceptional 
position  at  Court  on  account  of  the  great  influence 
which  he  exercised.  He  had,  it  is  true,  many  enemies, 
and  was  the  object  of  jealousy  and  rivalry  on  the 
part  of  all  those  who  desired  to  supersede  him  in  his 
functions ;  but  though  he  was  intensely  disliked  in 
some  quarters,  he  gained  the  esteem  and  respect  of 
all  those  with  whom  he  came  into  contact.  He  was  a 
perfect  gentleman  and  a  great  nobleman  in  the  fullest 
sense  of  that  word ;  had  perfect  tact,  and  always 
observed  an  extreme  delicacy  in  his  relations  with  the 
Imperial  Family,  as  well  as  with  the  different  members 
of  the  smart  and  the  official  society  of  St.  Petersburg, 
who  had  constantly  to  do  with  him  in  some  matter 
or  other.  He  has  been  accused  of  being  very  personal 
in  his  likes  and  dislikes,  and  of  not  being  at  all  obliging 
on  occasions  when  it  would  have  been  easy  for  him 
to  show  himself  so  ;  but  when  one  considers  the  posi- 
tion in  which  he  found  himself  placed,  one  may  well 
doubt  whether  it  would  have  been  possible  for  him 
to  satisfy  everybody  who  sought  his  favour  or  help. 

Count  Woronzoff  is  a  man  of  high  intelligence,  of 

250 


Intimate  Friends  of  Alexander  III. 

which  he  has  given  convincing  proof  in  the  different 
difficult  posts  which  he  has  filled  with  honour  and 
distinction.  When  he  disappears  from  the  political 
scene  it  will  not  be  easy  to  find  in  Russia  another 
person  of  his  high  integrity  and  so  entirely  free  from 
those  petty  lapses  to  which  the  world  in  general 
attaches  little  importance,  but  which,  nevertheless, 
make  or  mar  the  character  of  a  public  man. 

Personally,  I  have  rarely  met  Count  Woronzoff 
save  in  an  official  capacity,  or  at  some  great  Court 
function,  but  on  a  very  sad — if  not  the  saddest  — 
occasion  in  my  life  circumstances  drew  me  nearer  to 
him,  and  I  have  retained  for  him  a  feeling  of  gratitude 
which  will  only  end  with  my  own  existence.  At  a 
moment  when  I  found  myself  in  great  moral  difficulties, 
when  many  people  who  had  cringed  to  me  the  day 
before  turned  round  and  began  rending  me,  I  found 
in  Count  Woronzoff  a  true  friend. 

The  Emperor  Alexander  III.  had  another  intimate 
friend  in  the  person  of  Count  Serge  Scheremetieff,  also 
a  great  nobleman,  and  the  type  of  those  Russian  Barines 
of  times  past  of  whom  we  used  to  read  in  old  histoiy 
books.  He  led  a  truly  patriarchal  existence  in  the 
bosom  of  his  numerous  family,  protected  artists,  scientific 
and  literary  men,  was  immensely  wealthy,  and  made  the 
most  noble  use  of  his  enormous  fortune.  The  Emperor 
and  the  Empress  were  frequent  visitors  to  his  house, 
and  both  had  the  greatest  respect  for  him,  treating  him 
like  a  true  and  trustworthy  friend.  They  were  like- 
wise much  attached  to  the  Countess,  a  Princess  Wiazem- 
sky  by  birth,  and  the  granddaughter  of  the  famous 
poet  of  that  name. 

251 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Count  Serge  Scheremetieff  had  a  brother,  Count 
Alexander,  married  to  a  Countess  Heyden,  whose 
father  had  occupied  for  many  years  the  responsible 
position  of  Governor- General  of  Finland,  where  he 
succeeded  in  securing  many  friends,  and  whose 
mother,  the  Countess  Heyden,  had  been  a  personal 
friend  of  the  Empress  Marie  Alexandrovna.  This 
lady  did  more  than  any  other  woman  in  Russia  for  the 
development  of  the  Red  Cross  Society,  as  well  as  the 
organisation  of  hospitals  and  sanitary  refuges,  where 
the  poor  of  St.  Petersburg  could  be  treated  gratuitously. 

After  her  death  her  daughter,  the  Countess  Mary 
Scheremetieff,  continued  her  work,  and  in  her  turn 
has  applied  to  the  noblest  aims  the  great  fortune 
of  which  Providence  had  placed  at  her  disposal. 
Her  husband.  Count  Alexander,  is  a  most  distin- 
guished musician,  and  keeps  a  private  orchestra, 
which  gives  frequent  public  concerts,  where  one  can 
hear  the  best  modern  musical  productions.  Last 
winter  he  gave  a  performance  of  Parsifal  in  the  private 
theatre  of  the  Emperor  at  the  Ermitage  Palace,  that 
drew  together  all  the  smart  society  of  St.  Petersburg. 
Count  and  Countess  Scheremetieff  entertain  a  great 
deal  in  their  splendid  house  on  the  French  Quay,  and 
they  used  every  season  to  give  private  theatricals, 
where  classical  Russian  pieces  were  represented,  in 
which  the  Count  himself  took  a  leading  part.  Invita- 
tions to  these  festivities  were  eagerly  sought  after, 
and  the  Emperor  and  Empress,  together  with  the  other 
members  of  the  Imperial  family,  were  nearly  always 
present,  as  well  as  the  most  select  families  of  the  great 
capital. 

252 


The  Man  Next  the  Throne 

The  friends  of  Alexander  III.  were  generally 
called  the  Gatschina  coterie,  because  they  were  for 
the  most  composed  of  people  who  were  invited  to 
this  favourite  palace  of  the  Sovereign  when  he  was  in 
residence.  The  most  influential  member  of  it  was  General 
Tcherevine,  the  head  of  the  Okhrana,  or  personal 
guard  of  the  Emperor,  who  had  the  control  at  the 
same  time  of  the  whole  organisation  of  the  political 
police  of  the  Empire.  During  the  whole  reign  of 
Alexander  III.  he  was,  next  to  the  Emperor,  the  most 
powerful  man  in  Russia,  and  at  the  request  of  Nicholas 
II.  he  retained  his  position  when  the  latter  came  to 
the  throne.  He,  however,  only  survived  the  late  Tsar 
a  few  months,  as  he  died  before  the  Coronation  of  his 
new  master. 

When  talking  of  him  I  wonder  whether  I  shall  be 
able  to  do  so  with  sufficient  impartiality.  For  years 
the  General  was  one  of  my  dearest  and  most  intimate 
friends.  I  have  known  him  so  well  that  it  is  almost 
embarrassing  for  me  to  speak  about  him,  because 
everything  that  I  could  say  might  seem  either  entirely 
banal  or  affected,  or  else  uttered  with  the  desire  to  give 
myself  importance,  which  would  be  far,  indeed,  from 
my  intention.  Though  I  wish  to  pay  a  last  homage 
of  sincere  affection  and  respect  to  the  friend  of  my 
youth,  I  would  also  bear  witness  to  the  great  quali- 
ties of  this  eminent  and  remarkable  man,  to  his  intelli- 
gence, tact,  and  heart,  as  well  as  his  devotion  to  the 
responsible  duties  of  his  office. 

Tcherevine  until  his  death  was  the  most  popu- 
lar man  in  St.  Petersburg  society,  not  only  on  account 
of  the  high  and  important  duties  with  which  he  was 

253 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

entrusted,  but  especially  owing  to  his  rare  personal 
qualities.  Devoted  to  his  Imperial  Master,  he  proved 
himself  a  true  and  reliable  friend,  never  hesitating  to 
speak  quite  frankly  when  the  necessity  arose,  or  to 
contradict  his  Sovereign,  in  order  to  let  him  learn 
the  truth.  He  was  allowed  an  entire  freedom  of 
speech,  and  he  used  it  to  the  best  purpose  by  bring- 
ing to  the  knowledge  of  Alexander  III.  things  that 
the  latter  would  otherwise  never  have  had  the  chance 
of  hearing. 

He  was  not  afraid  of  taking  responsibilities,  even 
of  a  nature  before  which  less  brave  men  would  have 
recoiled.  Thus,  one  day  Alexander  III.  told  him 
that  he  regretted  the  abolition  of  the  famous  Third 
Section  of  the  political  police  of  the  Empire,  and 
that  he  had  decided  to  call  it  into  existence  once 
more.  He  ordered  him  to  prepare  the  necessary  ukase 
for  the  Senate,  expressing  his  determination  to  return 
to  the  past  order  of  things.  Tcherevine,  of  course, 
executed  the  command  which  had  been  given  him,  but 
instead  of  hastening  to  send  the  ukase  to  its  destina- 
tion, as  many  other  people  would  have  done  in  his 
place,  he  took  it  upon  himself,  not  finding  the  measure 
wise  or  opportune,  to  keep  the  document  in  his  drawer 
and  to  delay  its  dispatch.  Two  days  later  the  Emperor 
asked  him  whether  the  ukase  had  been  already  for- 
warded, and  on  the  reply  of  the  General  that  he  had 
thought  it  better  to  wait,  asked  him  to  return  it  to 
him,  adding  that,  after  all,  when  thinking  the  matter 
over,  he  had  changed  his  mind.  Another  occasion  on 
which  Tcherevine  showed  his  independence  of  spirit 
was  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  reign,   when  the 

254 


Modesty  of  General  Tcherevine 

question  again  arose  of  the  organisation  of  a  ministry 
of  police,  the  direction  of  which  it  was  intended  to 
confide  to  the  General.  The  latter  vigorously  opposed 
the  idea,  saying  that  in  his  opinion  the  young  Emperor 
ought  not  to  begin  his  reign  by  thus  giving  to  the 
whole  world  a  proof  that  he  required  other  protection 
than  the  love  that  he  inspired  in  his  new  subjects. 

These  instances,  two  of  many  others  of  the  same 
kind,  will  prove  better  than  anything  else  the  kind 
of  nature  this  remarkable  personage  possessed,  who, 
notwithstanding  the  immense  power  which  he  wielded, 
was  a  man  of  wonderful  modesty.  He  ever  sought 
opportunities  to  be  useful  to  others,  to  redress  injustice, 
and  thought  it  his  duty  to  put  before  the  eyes  of 
his  master  everything  that  was  to  the  advantage  of 
others,  carefully  concealing  from  him  all  that  might 
be  construed  as  a  desire  to  put  his  own  person  in 
evidence. 

Instead  of  looking  for  personal  honours  and  dig- 
nities. General  Tcherevine  never  required  anything  for 
himself,  and  he  died  a  relatively  poor  man,  in  spite  of 
the  many  millions  that  had  passed  through  his  hands, 
and  of  which  he  had  had  the  free  disposal. 

More  than  one  attempt  was  made  against  his  life, 
but  he  never  boasted  about  this,  as  others  would 
have  done,  and  except  once,  when  the  fact  could  not 
be  hidden  from  the  public,  he  never  mentioned  the 
subject,  even  to  the  Emperor.  His  courage  was  un- 
daunted and  his  fatalism  deeply  rooted.  He  believed 
in  his  own  destiny,  which  was  really  a  happy  one,  as  he 
had  the  rare  good  fortune  to  die  before  either  age  or 
sickness  had  overtaken  him,  and  in  full  possession  of 

255 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

the  confidence  of  his  Sovereign.  He  died  with  an 
unsullied  reputation,  with  the  feeling  of  having  always 
done  his  duty  and  of  having  never  refrained  from 
self-sacrifice  whenever  circumstances  required  it,  and 
he  carried  with  him  to  his  grave  the  respect  as  well  as 
the  affection  of  all  those  who  had  known  him. 

He  was  the  most  faithful  friend  and  the  wisest 
adviser  any  monarch  could  have  had.  The  Emperor 
Alexander  III.  liked  and  appreciated  his  rare  quali- 
ties, and  the  Empress  also  had  a  warm  affection  for 
him.  On  his  side  he  had  a  kind  of  worship  for  the 
person  of  Marie  Feodorovna.  His  eyes,  which  had 
sometimes  such  a  dry  expression,  used  to  fill  with 
moisture  whenever  he  mentioned  her  name,  and  he 
often  told  me  that  no  one  knew,  nor  could  properly 
appreciate,  the  rare,  the  exquisite  qualities  of  the  Em- 
press, her  perfect  heart,  her  pure  and  true  soul,  her 
genuine  and  never  -  failing  kindness.  He  was  her 
knight,  true  and  faithful,  having  sworn  to  her  a  devo- 
tion as  passionate  as  it  was  respectful,  and  he  always 
used  to  say  that  she  represented  for  him  the  most 
perfect  being  he  had  ever  met  in  the  course  of  his 
life— a  veritable  angel  in  woman's  shape. 

One  of  the  distinctive  features  of  Tcherevine's 
character  was  his  absolute  discretion.  Never  on  a 
single  occasion  did  one  word  escape  his  lips  that  he 
oupfht  not  to  have  uttered.  Never  once  did  he  com- 
mit  an  indiscretion,  and  I  may  add  that  he  would 
never  have  awarded  his  friendship  or  his  trust  to  any 
person  capable  of  showing  herself  indiscreet.  He  was 
a  good  judge  of  character,  and  did  not  give  his  con- 
fidence easily.     I  think  I  can  say  with  truth  that  I 

256 


Princess  Vladimir  Obolensky 

am  one  of  the  people  who  knew  him  best.  I  owe  him 
much,  and  still  feel  his  death  acutely.  His  memory 
will  be  treasured  in  my  heart  as  long  as  I  live. 

Such  men  are  not  often  met  with,  and  he  was 
worthy  of  the  tears  which  the  Empress  Marie  Feo- 
dorovna  shed  upon  his  coffin.  She  lost  in  him  not 
only  a  devoted,  faithful,  and  intelligent  servant,  but 
also  a  friend  passionately  attached  to  her  person  and 
to  her  family.  With  her  usual  comprehension  of  men 
and  things  the  Empress  knew  how  to  appreciate  the 
General,  during  whose  last  moments  she  was  present, 
Iiolding  his  hands  and  weeping  silently  as  he  slowly 
expired  ;  and  if  anything  could  have  eased  the  death 
struggle  of  a  man  who  did  not  wish  to  die,  yet  felt 
he  was  passing  away  in  the  full  strength  of  his  man- 
hood and  activity  at  a  time  when  he  knew  himself  to 
be  almost  indispensable  to  his  monarch  as  well  as  to  his 
country,  it  must  have  been  this  last  supreme  proof  of 
friendship  shown  to  him  by  the  sovereign  lady  of 
whom  he  had  been  so  proud  to  be  considered  the 
knight  and  the  defender. 

Both  Alexander  III.  and  his  Consort  had  also  con- 
tracted ties  of  warm  friendship  and  affection  with 
Prince  and  Princess  Vladimir  Obolensky.  The  latter, 
by  birth  a  Countess  Apraxine,  had  been  the  first  lady 
in  waiting  of  Marie  Feodorovna,  when  she  arrived  in 
Russia  as  the  future  heiress  to  its  Throne.  After  her 
marriage  with  Prince  Obolensky,  who  until  his  death 
was  head  of  the  Imperial  Household,  the  Countess  con- 
tinued to  be  treated  with  affection  and  familiarity  by 
her  august  mistress.  Her  husband  was  a  perfect  gen- 
tleman and  a  most  amiable  man,  whose  death  was  a 

R  257 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

great  personal  sorrow  for  the  Emperor  as  well  as  for 
the  Empress,  who  appreciated  his  sterling  qualities  and 
devotion  to  their  person.  The  Princess  has  remained 
on  most  affectionate  terms  with  Marie  Feodorovna,  and 
is  one  of  the  few  persons  left  with  whom  the  latter  can 
speak  of  the  events  of  the  past. 

The  Empress  had  another  intimate  friend,  Madame 
Helene  Scheremetieff,  by  birth  a  Countess  Strogonoff, 
and  the  daughter  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Marie  Nico- 
laievna,  by  her  morganatic  marriage  with  Count  Gregory 
Strogonoff.  There  was  a  time  when  Helene  Grigorievna, 
as  she  used  to  be  called,  exercised  a  great  social  influ- 
ence in  St.  Petersburg.  She  was  a  very  handsome 
woman,  whose  features  bore  a  great  likeness  to  those 
of  her  grandfather,  Nicholas  I.  Unfortunately  she  died 
relatively  young,  and  was  extremely  regretted  by  all 
those  who  had  the  opportunity  of  knowing  her. 

The  Empress  had  a  Master  of  the  Household  speci- 
ally attached  to  her  person,  who  was  one  of  the  most 
amiable  men  that  St.  Petersburg  society  could  boast 
of.  Prince  John  Galitzine  was  a  most  popular  per- 
sonage with  everybody  ;  no  one  among  the  smart  set 
would  have  dreamt  of  giving  an  evening  party  or  a 
dinner  without  inviting  him  to  it,  and  no  reception 
would  have  seemed  successful  if  he  had  not  been 
present.  He  had  any  amount  of  social  talents,  was 
an  excellent  actor  and  organiser  of  private  thea- 
tricals, used  to  read  aloud  like  Mounet  Sully  himself, 
and  was  often  entreated  in  a  certain  small  literary 
set  to  lecture  on  new  books,  comedies,  or  dramas. 
Prince  John  was  the  most  discreet  of  men,  and  his 
devotion    to    the    Empress    equalled    that    of    General 

258 


Prince  Galitzine's  Services 

Tcherevine.  There  was  nobody  in  the  world  for  him 
above  Marie  Feodorovna,  whom  he  helped  in  the 
many  difficulties  of  her  social  task,  in  the  most  tact- 
ful manner  possible.  He  knew  everyone  worth  know- 
ing, and  though  showing  himself  equally  amiable  to 
all,  nevertheless  avoided  getting  upon  intimate  terms 
with  anybody,  in  order  not  to  find  himself  obliged  to 
speak  of  things  he  did  not  care  to  mention,  and  also 
to  avoid  having  remarks  attributed  to  him  which  he 
had  never  made. 

When  the  Empress  received  in  audience  ladies 
from  society,  or  deputations  from  far  distant  pro- 
vinces came  to  present  their  respects  to  her,  Prince 
Galitzine  used  to  inform  himself  beforehand  as  to 
what  ought  to  be  known  concerning  these  persons, 
and  the  information  helped  his  Imperial  mistress  in 
her  task,  enabling  her  to  say  the  most  appropriate 
things  to  them.  When  he  died  he  was  universally 
regretted,  and  by  no  one  more  than  Marie  Feodor- 
ovna, who  was  always  so  eminently  appreciative  of 
any  services  rendered  to  her. 

The  present  Dowager  Empress  was  very  fortunate 
at  the  beginning  of  her  reign  in  being  surrounded  by 
people,  all  more  or  less  remarkable  in  one  way  or 
another,  who  not  only  knew  how  to  help  her  in  her 
numerous  and  difficult  duties,  but  who  also  contrived 
to  make  these  duties  seem  easy  and  pleasant  to  her. 
She  herself  understood  most  admirably  how  to  hold 
her  Court,  to  give  it  dignity  without  stiffness,  to  make 
it  attractive  without  allowing  it  to  lose  in  either  pomp 
or  majesty  ;  but  she  also  succeeded  in  finding  those 
who    loyally   seconded    her    efforts    and   were   able   to 

259 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

retain  the  high  places  in  her  estimation  in  which  she 
had  placed  them. 

When  Marie  Feodorovna  ascended  the  throne  the 
post  of  Mistress  of  the  Robes  became  almost  imme- 
diately vacant,  as  the  Princess  Kourakine,  who  had 
been  at  the  head  of  her  household  ever  since  her  arrival 
in  Russia,  died  shortly  after  the  murder  of  Alexander 
II.  Society  wondered  who  would  replace  her,  and 
great  and  general  was  the  surprise  of  the  public  when 
it  became  known  that  this  important  position  had 
been  offered  to  and  accepted  by  Princess  Kotchoubey. 

Princess  Helene  Kotchoubey  has  been  unquestion- 
ably one  of  the  most  remarkable  women  in  Europe 
during  the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  century.  She 
was  first  married  to  Prince  Belosselsky  of  Belozersk,  by 
whom  she  had  several  children,  amongst  whom  were 
Countess  Paul  Schouvaloff,  the  first  wife  of  the  General 
and  Ambassador  of  that  name,  and  the  famous  Princess 
Lise,  or  Lison  Troubetzkoy,  whose  salon  had  at  one 
time  so  much  importance  in  Paris  during  the  Presi- 
dency of  M.  Thiers.  After  her  widowhood  Princess 
Helene  had  contracted  a  second  marriage  with  Prince 
Basil  Kotchoubey,  who,  however,  died  very  shortly 
afterwards,  and  she  thenceforth  played  a  consider- 
able part  in  the  social  life,  not  only  of  Russia,  but  also 
of  foreign  countries.  Princess  Helene  contrived  to  get 
upon  intimate  terms  with  most  of  the  crowned  heads 
of  Europe,  and  to  grace  with  her  presence  nearly 
all  the  Royal  and  Imperial  Courts  worthy  of  her 
attention. 

William  I.  treated  her  as  a  personal  friend,  and 
the  late  Queen  of  Denmark,  whose  remarkable  insight 

260 


Princess  Helene  Kotchoubey 

enabled  her  to  quickly  appreciate  the  qualities  and 
defects  of  all  those  with  whom  she  came  into  con- 
tact, had  at  once  recognised  and  rendered  justice  to 
the  singular  aptitude  of  the  Princess  Helene,  and 
warmly  commended  her  to  her  daughter  when  the 
latter  became  the  Tsarina  of  all  the  Russias. 

Princess  Kotchoubey  belonged  to  the  old  school, 
with  superb,  grand  manners,  whose  politeness  was  just 
as  refined  as  it  was  cool,  according  to  the  necessities 
of  the  moment,  who  possessed  all  the  traditions  of 
former  times,  understood  all  the  different  finesses  and 
shades  of  social  conventions,  and  who  held  ideas  of 
greatness  concerning  the  manner  in  which  a  Royal 
Court  ought  to  be  conducted  that  could  only  add  to 
the  splendour  of  the  one  over  which  she  found  her- 
self called  upon  to  preside.  During  the  years  that 
she  filled  the  responsible  position  of  Mistress  of  the 
Robes  to  Marie  Feodorovna  she  gave  to  the  Winter 
Palace  an  air  of  dignity  and  state  such  as  has  not 
been  seen  since  her  death.  Of  small  stature,  yet  she 
appeared  almost  tall,  so  straight  did  she  hold  herself, 
and  so  queenly  was  her  whole  bearing. 

She  knew  the  Almanach  de  Gotha  by  heart,  as 
well  as  what  was  due  to  each  individual  with  whom 
she  had  to  deal.  She  was  a  valuable  guide  to  the 
Empress  at  the  beginning  of  the  latter' s  reign,  and 
displayed  consummate  tact  in  her  delicate  functions. 
No  one  who  saw  her  at  Moscow  during  the  festivities 
that  took  place  there  at  the  time  of  the  Coronation 
will  ever  forget  the  amiable  way  in  which  she  did  the 
honours  of  the  Kremlin,  and  received  the  numerous 
foreign  visitors  who  assembled  in   the  capital  of  the 

261 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Tsars  at  that  memorable  time.  Her  talents,  experi- 
ence, and  knowledge  of  the  world  revealed  themselves 
in  all  their  perfection,  and  her  presence  at  the  side  of 
the  beautiful  and  gracious  Empress  was  of  immense 
help  to  the  latter  amidst  the  complicated  duties  which 
she  found  herself  called  upon  to  perform. 

Unfortunately,  the  Princess  Kotchoubey,  who  was 
already  old  and  in  frail  health  at  the  time  she  was 
appointed  Mistress  of  the  Robes,  did  not  occupy  that 
position  long.  She  died  at  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1888,  and  St.  Petersburg  society  has  never  seen,  since 
she  was  removed  from  its  midst,  a  person  who  could 
be  compared  to  her,  so  completely  has  this  type  of  a 
really  great  lady  disappeared  in  general  from  the  social 
horizon  of  Europe. 

Princess  Helene's  place  was  given  after  her  death 
to  the  Countess  Paul  Strogonoff,  who  was  scarcely 
known  in  St.  Petersburg,  her  whole  life  having  been 
spent  in  Moscow.  She  was  also  a  very  great  lady,  but 
she  had  but  little  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  though 
full  of  the  best  intentions,  was  incapable  of  taking  over 
the  succession  of  the  eminent  woman  who  had  pre- 
ceded her.  She  was,  however,  truly  kind,  and  very 
amiable,  as  well  as  incapable  of  harming  any  one, 
and  her  appointment  did  not  give  rise  to  criticism. 
Though  one  related  with  a  mischievous  smile  her 
small  social  mistakes,  she  was  generally  liked,  if  only 
for  her  devotion  to  the  person  of  the  lovely  and  loved 
young  Empress  over  whose  Court  she  presided. 


262 


CHAPTER  V 

HIGH    SOCIETY   IN    ST.    PETERSBURG 

AT  the  time  I  am  writing  about,  society  life  in  St. 
x^.  Petersburg  was  as  pleasant  as  in  any  of  the 
European  capitals.  It  also  offered  to  the  visitor  great 
attractions  from  an  intellectual  point  of  view.  One 
could  go  every  evening  to  one  house  or  another,  where, 
without  any  ceremony,  and  in  the  intimacy  of  a  small 
circle,  one  could  spend  an  hour  or  two  discussing 
with  perfect  liberty  all  the  questions  of  the  day,  were 
they  political  or  social.  The  Government  did  not 
object  to  being  criticised,  and  did  not  exercise  any 
control  over  the  conversations  carried  on  in  privileged 
circles. 

In  this  respect,  considerably  more  freedom  was 
allowed  in  St.  Petersburg  than  in  Berlin  at  the  time 
Prince  von  Bismarck  was  at  the  head  of  affairs. 
The  great  world — because  that  is  all  I  am  speaking 
of  here — was  imbued  with  feelings  of  deep  devotion 
to  the  person  of  the  Sovereign,  who,  being  well  aware 
of  this,  did  not  care  if  a  few  sharp  tongues  indulged 
in  censure  of  his  ministers.  It  must,  however,  be  added 
that  never,  even  in  the  most  unconstrained  conversa- 
tions, was  the  name  of  the  Emperor  mentioned,  and 
no  one  would  have  dared  to  discuss  anything  about 
which  his  ideas  and  opinions  were  known  to  the  public. 

263 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Politics,  academically  speaking,  were  very  much  to 
the  fore  during  the  whole  reign  of  Alexander  III., 
and  they  absorbed  a  great  deal  of  the  attention  of 
those  who  took  an  interest  in  the  events  of  the  day. 
One  eagerly  commented  on  them  :  approved  or  blamed 
the  decisions  taken  by  the  Government,  but  only  when 
one  found  oneself  alone  and,  so  to  speak,  in  one's  family 
circle.  Whenever  a  foreigner  appeared,  people  used  to 
relapse  into  silence,  as  if  by  common  accord.  The 
Diplomatic  Corps,  that  had  enjoyed  considerable  social 
importance  in  the  reign  of  Alexander  II.,  had  been  en- 
tirely thrown  into  the  background  under  his  successor, 
who  did  not  care  to  see  strangers  introduced  into  the 
home  life  of  his  subjects,  and  the  custom  had  gradually 
spread  of  talking  Russian  almost  exclusively  in  pre- 
ference to  French,  the  language  formerly  used.  This, 
too,  had  contributed  to  keep  diplomats  aside,  so  that 
the  post  of  St.  Petersburg,  which  for  a  long  time  had 
been  eagerly  sought  after,  was  coveted  no  more,  and 
young  attaches  or  secretaries  no  longer  cared  to  be 
sent  to  the  Russian  capital.  From  a  certain  point  of 
view,  this  retirement  into  which  Russian  society  with- 
drew had  its  advantages;  it  also  had  drawbacks,  as 
contact  with  foreigners  is  necessary  to  a  great  nation, 
in  order  to  broaden  its  ideas. 

St.  Petersburg  was  not  given  to  gossip,  especially 
ill-natured  gossip  such  as  one  used  to  hear  in  Berlin, 
and  even  in  certain  select  sets  of  the  Faubourg  St. 
Germain  in  Paris.  One  could  lead  a  very  pleasant 
life  there,  provided  one  knew  how  to  choose  one's 
friends,  and  as  I  have  said  before,  there  were 
plenty     of    opportunities     other     than    at    large    and 

264 


Vanishing  Customs 

official    receptions    of    seeing    people    under    agreeable 
conditions. 

An  amusing  memory  ofHhose  times  was  the  manner 
in  which  middle-aged  ladies  adopted  elderly  habits,  and 
as  soon  as  their  daughters  were  of  an  age  to  enjoy 
balls  and  dances,  the  mothers— many  of  whom  were  not 
yet  fifty —appeared  as  chaperons,  in  elderly  attire  with 
high  dresses  and  lace  caps,  which  were  altogether  amus- 
ing. The  type  has  almost,  if  not  entirely,  disappeared, 
but  in  the  early  years  of  the  reign  of  Alexander  III. 
it  was  rampant. 

Patriarchal  life  also  had  not  died  out  in  certain 
circles ;  for  instance,  in  the  family  of  Count  Serge 
Scheremetieff,  in  that  of  the  old  Countess  Moussine 
Pouschkine,  a  lady  of  honour  to  the  Empress,  at  the 
Woronzoffs,  and  in  a  few  other  houses.  We  used 
to  assemble  there  on  certain  solemn  occasions,  such  as 
New  Year's  Eve,  Easter  night,  on  the  anniversaries  of 
the  birthday  of  the  hostess,  often  on  Sundays  for 
dinner,  and  in  any  case  twice  or  three  times  a  week 
in  the  afternoons.  Old  traditions  were  strictly  adhered 
to,  calls  were  obligatory  in  cases  of  marriages,  births, 
or  deaths,  and  a  certain  etiquette  was  prescribed  and 
followed,  imposed  by  the  old  people  and  obeyed  by 
the  young.  All  this  has  come  to  an  end,  and  one  can 
find  traces  of  it  hardly  anywhere  but  at  the  Countess 
Moussine  Pouschkine's.  This,  in  my  opinion  at  least, 
is  because  I  shall  always  hold  that  it  is  necessary  to 
have,  in  a  world  that  prides  itself  upon  being  con- 
sidered polished,  old  ladies  to  remember  and  observe 
its  traditions,  as  well  as  to  impose  habits  of  a  politeness 
that  to-day  it  has  become  a  habit  to  treat  but  lightly. 

265 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

One  used  then  to  go  in  the  evening  to  see  Countess 
Lewachoff,  an  aunt  of  mine  who  at  one  time  exercised 
a  considerable  influence  over  St.  Petersburg  society ; 
old  Countess  Sophy  Tolstoy,  the  wife  of  the  Minister 
of  the  Interior ;  Madame  Schebeko ;  Madame  Nelidoff ; 
M.  Gontscharoff,  member  of  the  Council  of  State, 
whose  wife  was  one  of  the  most  amiable  and  kindest 
women  in  the  world ;  Princess  Paschkievitch,  the 
beautiful  Princess  Marie  Obolensky,  and  many  other 
great  ladies.  At  their  houses  one  met  nearly  always 
the  same  three  or  four  people  every  day,  with  whom 
one  could  spend  a  most  pleasant  hour,  and  where  one 
was  always  received  with  equal  kindness,  whether  one 
arrived  in  morning  dress  or  in  a  ball  gown,  before 
attending  some  important  function  that  required  it. 
Receptions  generally  beginning  extremely  late,  one 
was  glad  to  be  able  to  beguile  the  hours  between 
nine  and  twelve  o'clock  in  such  congenial  society. 

Madame  Nelidoff  was  a  charming  woman  in  her  way. 
She  had  never  been  pretty,  and  had  never  even  aspired 
to  be  considered  so.  She  had  a  wonderful  intelligence 
which  gave  her  considerable  influence  over  several 
statesmen.  They  often  consulted  her,  and  always  had 
reason  to  congratulate  themselves  on  having  done 
so.  She  had  a  particular  talent  for  keeping  con- 
versation going  on  any  subject,  and  did  so  without 
ever  talking  much  herself,  by  simply  giving  others  the 
necessary  lead.  Her  house  at  one  time  had  been  a 
great  political  centre,  and  assumed  an  importance 
which  perhaps  it  did  not  quite  deserve.  Though  it 
lost  influence  partly  after  the  accession  of  Alexander 
III.   on  account   of   the   semi-disgrace    in   which  were 

266 


Salons  of  Society 

involved  several  people  who  had  been  among  its  daily 
visitors,  and  who  found  themselves  obliged  to  leave 
Russia  for  a  while,  one  always  liked  to  go  and  see  its 
mistress,  and  to  hear  her  talk  on  the  events  of  the 
day  with  an  animation  and  brightness  in  which  she 
had  no  equal. 

Countess  Lewachoff  was  very  different  from  Madame 
Nelidoff.  She  was  also  a  person  of  considerable  intelh- 
gence  and  even  wit,  extremely  cultivated,  well  read, 
and  up  in  everything  that  was  going  on,  not  only  in 
Russia  but  also  in  Europe  generally.  She  used  to  read 
a  great  deal,  and  sometimes  she  mixed  different  things 
up  in  her  mind ;  but  she  had  plenty  of  resource,  was 
very  amiable  and  kind-hearted,  and  always  ready  to 
help  others  and  to  make  herself  useful.  Her  house, 
which  was  open  to  her  friends  three  times  a  week,  was 
thronged  by  foreigners  passing  through  St.  Petersburg, 
in  addition  to  its  own  small  circle  of  faithful  visitors. 
One  was  certain  whenever  one  spent  an  hour  there 
to  be  informed  of  everything  that  was  going  on,  be 
it  in  the  official  or  the  smart  world  ;  and  one  was 
never  bored  in  her  company. 

The  Countess  Tolstoy  confined  her  receptions  strictly 
to  her  own  family  circle,  but  as  the  latter  was  very 
large,  one  always  found  oneself  in  a  numerous  com- 
pany. The  Countess  was  kindness  itself,  and  it  was 
considered  a  great  honour  to  be  admitted  to  her 
house.  She  had  an  only  daughter,  a  pleasant  woman 
of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence,  who  was  married  to 
Count  Serge  Toll,  now  member  of  the  Council  of  State. 
Madame  Schebeko,  whose  husband  was  the  head  of 
the  gendarmes'  special   corps,  was  one  of  the  persons 

267 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

whom  I  cared  most  to  go  and  see.  I  have  never 
met  anyone  so  discreet,  as  regards  social  relations,  or 
having  such  an  intense  dislike  for  any  kind  of  useless 
and  mischievous  gossip.  She  had  a  lovely  daughter- 
in-law,  who  in  recent  years  graced  the  Russian  Em- 
bassy in  Vienna,  where  her  husband,  M.  Schebeko,  the 
son  of  my  old  friend,  was  Ambassador. 

I  never  met  the  Princess  Paschkievitch,  who  at  the 
time  when  I  used  to  go  out  into  society  had  already 
retired  from  it,  and  lived  in  seclusion.  She  had  made 
a  museum  of  her  house,  so  full  was  it  of  rare  works 
of  art;  but  all  those  who  frequented  it  were  unanim- 
ous in  their  praises  of  the  distinguished  woman  who 
was  its  mistress.  She  translated  into  French  the  two 
principal  novels  of  Tolstoy,  "  War  and  Peace  "  and 
"  Anna  Karenina,"  and  was  herself  a  writer  of  no 
mean  talent.  Unfortunately,  she  used  to  lead  a  most 
retired  existence,  and  received  no  one  outside  a  very 
small  circle  of  friends.  The  Princess,  who  is  still 
alive,  and  who  divides  her  time  between  her  house 
in  St.  Petersburg  and  her  splendid  castle  of  Homel  in 
the  Government  of  Mohilew,  is  the  sister  of  Count 
Woronzoff  Dachkoff. 

The  Princess  Marie  Obolensky,  in  spite  of  the 
years  that  had  passed  over  her  head,  was  still  beautiful. 
She  kept  open  house,  where  one  could  go  every  day 
at  tea  time.  Her  parties  were  considered  extremely 
dull — not  without  reason,  it  must  be  owned  ;  but  she 
was  herself  so  kind,  so  amiable,  and  sincerely  glad  to 
greet  her  visitors,  that  to  give  her  pleasure  one  felt 
obliged  to  go  and  bore  oneself  in  her  company  from 
time  to  time. 

268 


Count  and  Countess  Pahlen 

There  was  another  house  in  St.  Petersburg,  pre- 
sided over  by  a  very  distinguished  lady,  where  it  was 
most  difficult  to  gain  an  entree.  It  was  that  of  the 
Countess  Pahlen,  the  wife  of  Count  Constantine  Pahlen, 
formerly  Minister  of  Justice  under  Alexander  II.,  and 
one  of  the  most  eminent  statesmen  in  Russia  during 
the  latter  half  of  the  last  century.  The  Countess  was 
fond  of  society,  though  at  one  time,  when  her  husband 
retired  from  public  life,  she  declared  that  she  had  had 
enough  of  it.  However,  she  never  entirely  closed  her 
doors  to  her  numerous  friends  and  acquaintances.  At 
the  time  of  the  coronation  of  Alexander  III.,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  present  Tsar,  Count  Pahlen  filled  the 
important  functions  of  Grand  Master  of  the  Cere- 
monies, and  the  Countess  used  to  welcome  every  even- 
ing the  numerous  foreigners  that  these  two  important 
events  had  called  to  Moscow,  as  well  as  the  members 
of  St.  Petersburg  society  who  had  gone  there  on  these 
memorable  occasions.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find 
anywhere  a  more  perfect  and  dignified  hostess  than 
she  showed  herself.  She  was  one  of  those  great  ladies 
of  former  times  who  were  always  polite  without  ever 
showing  any  familiarity,  with  a  superb  manner  and 
grand  looks. 

The  diplomats,  who  were  but  rarely  admitted  into 
the  home  circles  of  the  different  houses  which  I  have 
just  described,  used  to  take  refuge  in  that  of  the 
Countess  Delianoff,  the  wife  of  the  Minister  of  Public 
Instruction.  Her  salon  was  for  them  a  centre  of 
reunion  that  they  have  sadly  missed  since  the  death 
of  that  amiable  and  agreeable  woman.  Countess  Deli- 
anoff was  by  birth  an  Armenian,  and  a  perfect  type  of 

269 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

the  race  to  which  she  belonged,  having  a  long,  hooked 
nose  and  very  dark  complexion.  She  was  possessed  of 
many  minor  but  harmless  eccentricities,  but  redeemed 
them  by  her  sincere  kindness  and  amiability.  Few 
people  remember  her  now,  which  is  a  pity,  and  shows 
much  ingratitude,  because  her  only  thought  in  life  was 
to  make  herself,  as  well  as  her  house,  pleasant  to 
others. 

She  cared  for  nothing  better  than  to  be  always  sur- 
rounded by  her  numerous  friends,  and  used  to  receive 
every  afternoon  between  five  and  six  o'clock.  Her 
hours  were  very  strict,  for  if  one  arrived  at  three 
minutes  to  five  or  at  three  minutes  past  six,  one  was 
not  admitted.  She  used  to  give  perfect  dinners  and 
frequent  receptions,  where  one  was  literally  crushed 
to  the  condition  of  a  pancake,  as  she  always  invited 
about  five  times  as  many  people  as  her  relatively 
small  rooms  could  accommodate.  But  the  greater  the 
crush  the  more  delighted  she  felt.  An  excellent  woman 
all  things  considered,  invariably  polite  and  obliging 
and  ready  to  help  others,  and  an  altogether  popular 
hostess,  her  house  constituted  a  landmark  in  St. 
Petersburg  society,  and  when  its  doors  closed  the  city 
lost  a  great  deal  from  the  social  point  of  view. 


270 


CHAPTER  VI 

SOCIAL   LIFE    IN    ST.    PETERSBURG 

PUTTING    aside    the    small    and    select    receptions 
which   I   have   just   described,    social   life   in   St. 
Petersburg  was  very  brilliant  and  animated  during  the 
season.     Frequent  festivities  took  place   at  Court,  and 
seven  to  eight  balls  were  regularly  given,  either  at  the 
Winter  or   the    Anitchkov   Palace,  where  the  Emperor 
and    Empress    resided    between    New    Year    and    the 
beginning    of    Lent.     These    balls    and    another    small 
dance  at   the  Palace  of  the  Ermitage  were  the  most 
sought  after,   as  it  was  considered  a  special   privilege 
to  be  invited  to  them,  and  the  number  of  guests  was 
limited  to  three  or  four  hundred   people.     The  Grand 
Dukes   also  frequently   received    the   upper    ten  thou- 
sand that  constituted  the  cream  of  the  society  of  the 
capital,  and  the   Grand  Duchess  Marie  Pavlovna  gave 
several  fancy-dress  balls,  one  of  which  excited  a  good 
deal  of  talk  owing  to  the  magnificence  of  the  costumes 
displayed   for   the  occasion,  and  especially  on  account 
of  the   marvellous   appearance   of  the   Empress  Marie 
Feodorovna    in    the    dress    of    a   Russian    Tsarina    of 
olden   times,    literally   covered    with   the    pick    of   the 
splendid  crown  jewels.     One  might  have  thought  that 
this  heavy  attire  would  crush   her  ;    but,  on  the  con- 

271 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

trary,  she  wore  it  with  such  grace  that  it  only  added 
new  attractions  to  her  beautiful  slight  figure,  and  that 
evening  can  be  reckoned  as  one  of  her  greatest 
triumphs. 

The  Grand  Duchess  Serge  gave  some  fine  balls 
whilst  she  still  lived  in  St.  Petersburg,  before  her 
consort  was  appointed  Governor- General  of  Moscow  ; 
and  during  her  short  married  life  the  Grand  Duchess 
Paul  also  proved  a  charming,  excellent  hostess,  and 
showed  great  fondness  for  entertaining.  She  had  a 
beautiful  palace  on  the  English  Quay,  which  since 
her  early  death  has  been  closed  to  the  public. 

The  season  usually  began  with  a  large  reception 
on  New  Year's  Day,  where  ladies  were  expected  to 
appear  in  the  national  dress  with  long  Court  trains. 
It  took  place  in  the  morning,  after  Mass  had  been 
solemnised  in  the  chapel  of  the  Winter  Palace.  The 
Empress  received  the  congratulations  of  the  ladies 
belonging  to  Court  society,  who  filed  past  her,  kissing 
her  hand  as  they  did  so. 

The  Imperial  Family,  who  resided  at  their  castle 
of  Gatschine  during  the  whole  autumn,  moved  to 
St.  Petersburg  on  New  Year's  Eve,  and  remained 
in  residence  until  Lent.  The  series  of  great  festivi- 
ties opened  very  soon  after  with  a  ball,  to  which 
something  like  six  thousand  people  were  asked,  that 
took  place  in  a  vast  hall  that  went  by  the  name  of 
Nicholas  Hall,  from  a  large,  life-size  portrait  of  the 
Emperor  Nicholas  I.,  which  constituted  its  principal 
ornament. 

The  first  ball  was  remarkable  for  the  fact  that 
it  was  only  official  people  and  functionaries  of  superior 

272 


Festivities  at  the  Winter  Palace 

rank  who  were  invited  to  it,  so  that  sometimes  the 
smartest  people  happened  to  be  excluded,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  they  had  not  the  Tchin  entitling  them 
to  an  invitation.  To  anyone  unacquainted  with 
the  intricacies  of  Russian  etiquette,  this  may  appear 
strange,  and  it  must  therefore  be  explained  that, 
according  to  regulations  existing  since  the  reign  of 
Peter  the  Great,  it  is  only  the  four  first  classes  of 
the  Tchin  that  are  allowed  to  attend  official  Court 
functions.  Unfortunately,  these  four  classes  are  some- 
times composed  of  people  whose  services  have  gained 
their  promotion,  but  who  are  absolutely  ignorant  of 
the  customs  and  manners  of  the  upper  society,  who 
would  never  dream  of  having  any  relations  with  them 
beyond  purely  official  ones.  The  result  is  that  a 
Prince  Galitzine  or  Mestchersky  may  not  be  allowed 
to  enter  the  Winter  Palace  on  certain  occasions,  whilst 
a  M.  Ivanoff  or  Petroff,  which  is  the  equivalent  of  the 
English  Jones  or  Smith,  finds  himself  an  honoured 
guest  of  his  Sovereign. 

It  was  for  the  especial  benefit  of  these  Joneses 
and  Smiths  that  the  large  ball  about  which  I  have 
just  spoken  was  given,  and  it  was  curious  to  watch 
the  people  invited  to  it  —  people  one  would  never 
have  the  occasion  to  meet  again,  or  to  see  anywhere 
else  but  at  this  particular  function,  which  constituted 
for  their  wives  and  daughters  the  one  solitary  oppor- 
tunity they  had  of  looking  upon  their  Sovereigns,  if 
only  from  a  distance.  They  collected  together  in  a 
great  band,  and,  supremely  conscious  of  their  own 
importance,  marched  like  a  battalion  of  infantry, 
brushing    aside    all    those    who    stood    in    their    path. 

s  273 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Happily  oblivious  of  anyone  else  but  themselves,  and 
equally  unconscious  of  the  spectacle  their  own  bulky 
persons  presented,  clad  as  they  were  in  extraordinary 
dresses  and  bejewelled  uniforms,  sparkling  with  decora- 
tions, their  one  ambition  was  to  capture  the  best  place 
at  supper.  The  crush  was  generally  terrible  on  these 
occasions,  and  it  was  most  difficult  to  find  one's  way 
or  to  move  about,  especially  in  the  ballroom  itself, 
as  well  as  in  a  long  gallery  that  ran  down  its  whole 
length,  where  tables  were  spread,  and  were  continually 
surrounded  by  hungry  or  thirsty  people. 

I  remember  that  at  one  of  these  balls  I  was 
going  down  to  supper  on  the  arm  of  a  cousin  of  mine, 
Count  Toll,  the  son-in-law  of  Count  Tolstoy,  then 
Minister  of  the  Interior.  Before  us  walked  a  couple 
entirely  unknown  to  us,  consisting  of  a  very  high  civil 
functionary,  to  judge  by  his  uniform,  and  a  very  stout 
lady,  whose  manners  left  much  to  be  desired,  and 
whose  loud,  vulgar  voice  betrayed  a  sorry  lack  of 
education.  She  was  hanging  on  to  the  epaulettes  of 
a  young  officer  who  was  walking  in  front  of  her,  also 
with  a  lady  on  his  arm,  and  kept  saying  to  her  com- 
panion, "  Hold  on  tight  to  me  ;  I  am  going  to  stick 
to  the  epaulettes  of  this  little  colonel,  and  he  will  pull 
us  through  !  "  The  "  little  colonel  "  was  none  other 
than  the  Heir  to  the  Throne,  the  Grand  Duke  Tsare- 
vitch,  Nicholas  Alexandrovitch,  who,  with  one  of  the 
daughters  of  Count  Woronzoff  Dachkoff,  was  wending 
his  steps  toward  the  supper  rooms. 

I  relate  this  incident,  not  only  because  it  is 
amusing,  but  because  it  proves  how  very  little 
smart     society    was    known    to    the    people    invited 

274 


An  Amusing  Error 

to  this  oflficial  function,  seeing  that  even  the 
appearance  of  their  future  Emperor  was  unfamiliar 
to  them. 

Talking  of  the  Taynoie  Sowietnikis  (Privy  Coun- 
cillors), by  which  name  this  crowd  was  playfully  called 
in  smart  circles,  reminds  me  of  another  delightful 
story,  that  was  related  one  winter,  and  which  caused 
general  amusement  at  the  time  it  occurred.  When 
the  Marquis  de  Montebello  was  appointed  French 
Ambassador  at  the  Russian  Court,  and  gave  his  first 
official  reception,  the  cards  for  this  entertainment,  as 
is  usual  in  such  cases,  were  sent  to  the  very  same 
people  who  were  on  the  list  of  those  officially  admitted 
at  Court  by  virtue  of  their  official  rank.  These  invi- 
tations were  issued  in  French,  and  ran  thus  :  "  L'Am- 
bassadeur   de    France,    ay  ant    presente    ses    lettres    de 

creance    a    S.M.    L'Empereur,    previent    M. qu'il 

sera  chez   lui   le ."     ("  The   French   Ambassador, 

having  had  the   honour  to  present  his  credentials  to 

H.M.   the   Emperor,   gives   notice   to   M. that  he 

will  be  at  home  on .") 

A  very  important  personage  among  the  Tchinow- 
nikis,  not  being  well  up  in  the  intricacies  of  the  French 
language,  on  receiving  such  a  card,  imagined  that 
the  words  "  sera  chez  lui  "  ("  will  be  at  home  ")  meant 
that  the  Ambassador  was  going  to  pay  him  a  visit, 
and  rushed  to  the  Embassy  to  explain  that  he  was 
quite  overwhelmed  at  the  honour  which  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  French  Republic  was  going  to  do 
him,  but  that  he  did  not  live  in  a  house  fit  to  receive 
such  an  important  guest,  consequently  he  begged  His 
Excellency  to  give  up  the  idea  of  honouring  him  with 

275 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

his  presence.  I  do  not  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this 
anecdote,  but  it  caused  much  mirth  at  the  time  it 
was  put  into  circulation. 

The  smart  set  were  always  in  full  force  at  the 
three  other  dances,  which  were  given  in  a  circular 
room,  called  the  concert  hall.  On  these  occasions  the 
room  was  quite  fairy-like  in  its  magnificence  and  in 
the  briUiancy  of  the  dresses  and  jewels  displayed. 
The  suppers  especially  were  most  wonderful,  and  the 
Nicholas  Hall,  where  they  were  served,  was  trans- 
formed for  the  occasion  into  a  winter  garden.  Gigantic 
palms  from  the  Imperial  hothouses  were  set  in  long 
avenues  all  down  the  room,  and  from  the  centre  of 
each  table  rose  a  fine  specimen,  the  trunk  of  which 
was  surrounded  by  splendid  flowers.  Everywhere 
banks  of  roses,  tulips,  and  other  sweet-smelling  blos- 
soms were  strewn  about,  and  a  carpet  of  hyacinths 
was  spread  at  the  foot  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas's  por- 
trait, opposite  which  was  placed  the  table  at  which 
sat  the  Empress,  together  with  the  Grand  Duchesses 
and  foreign  ambassadors.  I  have  seen  many  fine 
receptions  in  my  life,  but  I  have  never  been  at  any 
festivity  approaching  in  splendour  and  luxury  these 
balls,  often  called  "  Palm  Balls,"  in  allusion  to  the 
main  feature  of  the  decorations. 

The  Empress  used  to  dance  a  great  deal  and  to 
amuse  herself  most  frankly  and  heartily.  It  is  a  long 
time  now  since  the  Winter  Palace  witnessed  receptions 
the  like  of  which  I  have  just  described,  but  even  if 
they  ever  took  place  again  it  is  doubtful  whether  they 
would  be  the  same,  now  that  the  gracious,  exquisite 
Marie  Feodorovna  would  be  no  longer  there  in  all  the 

276 


At  the  Anitchkov  Palace 

splendour  of  her  youth  and  with  her  childhke  capa- 
city for  enjoyment. 

These  balls  were  considered  small,  inasmuch  as 
scarcely  more  than  one  thousand  invitations  were 
issued  for  them.  In  former  times  the  number  was 
even  smaller,  but  it  gradually  increased  and  the  whole 
Diplomatic  Corps  was  asked  to  them.  Another  ball 
used  to  be  given  which  was  exclusively  attended  by 
local  Russian  society,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Ambassadors,  no  foreigner  was  ever  admitted. 

The  balls  at  the  Anitchkov  Palace,  where  the 
Sovereigns  resided,  were  only  attended  by  the  people 
whom  the  Empress  knew  well  enough  to  treat  as 
friends,  and  they  did  not  differ  in  the  least  from 
receptions  such  as  any  rich  private  person  might  give. 

The  season  was  generally  closed  by  a  lunch  fol- 
lowed by  a  dance,  at  the  Yelaguine  Palace,  on  one 
of  the  islands  that  environ  St.  Petersburg.  This 
came  to  an  end  punctually  at  midnight  on  the  last 
Sunday  of  carnival,  and  immediately  it  was  over  the 
Court  was  transferred  again  to  Gatschina,  the  palace 
that  the  Emperor  preferred  to  all  his  other  residences. 
The  Sovereigns  frequently  attended  the  receptions  of 
a  few  private  persons  whom  they  honoured  with  their 
friendship,  such  as  the  Counts  Scheremetieff,  Count 
and  Countess  Woronzoff  Dachkoff,  Count  Orloff 
Davidoff,  and  Prince  Youssoupoff ;  and  one  of  the 
smartest  balls  that  was  ever  given  for  the  Empress, 
at  the  beginning  of  her  reign,  took  place  at  Count 
and  Countess  Steinbock  Fermor's.  I  can  still  see 
Marie  Feodorovna  making  her  entry  into  the  ball- 
room, on  the  arm  of  her  host,  dressed  in  a  soft  pink 

277 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

gown,  with  clouds  of  tulle  thrown  carelessly  over  her 
satin  petticoat,  long  sprays  of  moss  roses  looped 
up  here  and  there,  a  marvellous  parure  of  rubies 
and  diamonds  shining  on  her  neck  and  on  the 
bodice  of  her  dress,  and  a  splendid  tiara  in  her  dark 
hair.  In  that  brilliant  array  one  felt  almost  tempted 
to  forget  the  Sovereign  in  one's  admiration  of  the 
woman,  so  lovely  was  she.  The  Emperor,  together 
with  his  Consort,  also  attended  festivities  at  the 
foreign  Embassies. 

Apart  from  these  receptions,  all  of  which  were 
more  or  less  official  ones,  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
dancing  in  the  Russian  capital,  especially  among  the 
young  people.  The  number  of  balls  for  girls  and 
debutantes  surpassed  by  far  those  given  in  honour  of 
young  married  ladies.  The  latter  used  to  console 
themselves  by  organising  sledge  parties,  which  generally 
ended  with  a  cotillon  in  one  or  other  of  the  numerous 
restaurants. 

Large  private  balls  were  not  of  frequent  occur- 
rence, and  the  most  luxurious  ones  took  place  at  the 
house  of  two  old  maids,  the  sisters  Netchaieff,  who 
occupied,  together  with  their  brother,  M.  Netchaieff 
Maltseff,  one  of  the  richest  men  in  St.  Petersburg,  a 
splendid  house  in  the  Sergievskaya  Street,  arranged 
and  furnished  in  the  worst  of  taste,  but  with  the  great- 
est luxury.  They  were  the  best  women  in  the  world, 
these  sisters,  but,  like  their  brother,  were  most  ridicu- 
lous in  their  manners.  Far  advanced  in  the  sixties, 
they  dressed  in  quite  a  juvenile  fashion,  and  always 
alike,  just  as  if  they  had  been  young  girls  first  coming 
out  in  society.     One  of  them  was  short  and  stout,  the 

278 


Two  Quaint  Sisters 

other  tall  and  thin,  and  both  were  painfully  lacking 
in  good  looks,  which  added  to  the  singularity  of  their 
clothes. 

But  with  it  all  they  were  both  excellent,  kind, 
charitable  creatures,  who  did  an  enormous  amount  of 
good  without  any  fuss  or  ostentation.  They  were  not 
so  modest,  however,  about  their  money.  Having  been 
brought  up  far  from  St.  Petersburg,  and  in  an  ex- 
tremely unpretentious  way  —their  millions  having  come 
to  them  late  in  life  through  the  death  of  a  distant 
relation —they  had  not  become  used  to  their  riches. 
They  gave  most  excellent  dinners  to  sixty  or  seventy 
people,  at  which  were  served  all  the  delicacies  of  the 
season,  the  price  of  which  they  hastened  to  tell  their 
guests.  One  laughed  at  them  and  at  their  brother, 
but  everybody  flocked  to  their  receptions.  It  is  a  long 
time  now  since  they  departed  for  a  better  world,  and 
the  beautiful  Netchaieff  house  is  closed,  having  passed 
into  the  possession  of  a  nephew  of  its  former  owners, 
M.  Elim  Demidoff,  Prince  of  San  Donato,  the  owner  of 
the  vast  Demidoff  estates,  who,  being  Russian  Minister 
at  the  Court  of  Athens,  does  not  live  at  present  in  St. 
Petersburg.  He  is  married  to  the  third  daughter  of 
Count  Woronzoff  Dachkoff,  and  that  marriage  being 
childless  one  wonders  to  whom  the  Netchaieff  millions 
will  eventually  lapse. 

M.  Netchaieff  Maltseff,  who  died  some  months 
ago,  made  the  most  noble  use  of  his  great  riches.  It 
was  he  who  organised  the  Alexander  III.  Museum  in 
Moscow,  and  most  of  the  charitable  institutions  in 
Russia  have  found  in  him  a  magnificent  and  gener- 
ous patron.     This  would  amply  suffice  to  forgive  him 

279 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

more  serious  things  than  the  small  peculiarities  that 
used  to  afford  such  amusement  to  St.  Petersburg 
society. 

The  three  Netchaieffs  were  typical  figures  that  rose 
on  the  social  horizon  of  the  Russian  capital.  One  saw 
them  everywhere,  and  in  spite  of  their  age  the  sisters 
even  liked  to  be  invited  to  dances  given  for  quite 
young  debutantes,  where  they  honestly  believed  it 
was  their  duty  to  be  present.  They  sincerely  con- 
sidered themselves  in  their  right  place,  which  was 
true  enough  in  a  certain  sense,  since  kindness,  amia- 
bility, and  cheerfulness  are  never  out  of  place  any- 
where. It  should  be  added  that  in  the  days  when  I 
myself  used  to  go  out  a  great  deal  into  society  there 
was  in  St.  Petersburg  a  circle  of  old  people  who  were 
as  fond  of  dances  as  the  Netchaieff  sisters,  and  they 
composed  one  of  its  most  agreeable  elements.  For 
instance  I  have  never  met  anywhere  a  pleasanter, 
more  amiable,  and  entertaining  man  than  my  late 
uncle.  General  Timascheff,  formerly  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  in  the  reign  of  Alexander  II.,  a  sculptor  of 
talent  and  a  distinguished  mind,  whose  presence  was 
eagerly  sought  at  all  the  receptions  of  the  winter 
season.  How  pleasanter  by  far  was  his  conversation 
than  that  of  many  young  men,  who  believed  them- 
selves quite  irresistible. 

Thinking  of  him,  as  well  as  of  many  others  be- 
longing to  his  generation,  I  cannot  help  remarking  that 
among  the  survivors  of  the  times  of  Alexander  II., 
and  especially  among  the  members  of  his  military 
household,  there  were  many  pleasant  people,  who,  in 
spite  of  their  relatively  advanced  age,  were  preferred  to 

280 


A  Forgotten  Art 

younger  ones  by  women,  on  account  of  the  politeness 
and  amiability  with  which  they  treated  them. 

It  is  sad  to  have  to  say  so,  but  the  present  genera- 
tion seems  to  have  forgotten  that  exquisite  courtesy 
which  constituted  such  a  particular  feature  of  St. 
Petersburg  society,  which  at  the  time  I  am  writing 
about  was  without  exception  the  most  polished  and 
polite  in  Europe.  Now,  as  elsewhere,  good  manners 
are  considered  old-fashioned  and  out  of  date  in  the 
Russian  capital,  but  personally  I  cannot  help  regret- 
ting the  times  when  slang  was  unknown,  and  women 
were  pleased  to  be  honoured  with  attentions  that 
never  compromised  them  in  the  least. 


281 


CHAPTER  VII 

A    FEW    SALONS    OF    OLD 

IN  those  years  of  the  early  'nineties,  there  existed  still 
in  St.  Petersburg  a  few  salons  modelled  after  those 
of  Paris  at  the  time  of  the  Restoration.  Admission 
was  eagerly  sought,  for  an  invitation  was  considered 
to  make  assured  the  social  position  of  their  visitors. 
One  of  these  salons  was  that  of  Madame  Emmanuel 
Narischkine  {nee  Tchitcherine) — Aunt  Sacha,  as  she 
was  familiarly  called  in  her  exclusive  circle.  Madame 
Narischkine  rejoiced  in  the  possession  of  a  considerable 
number  of  enemies.  I  have  always  wondered  why  this 
was  the  case,  because  personally  I  have  always  found 
her  charming,  good,  and  kind.  She  was  enormously 
rich,  and,  thanks  to  her  husband,  whom  she  had 
married  when  he  was  already  very  old,  and  to  his 
social  standing  in  the  world,  she  was  in  possession  of 
a  position  of  outstanding  influence  which  she  suc- 
ceeded in  improving  by  her  own  personal  qualities. 

A  little  abrupt  in  her  manners,  and  certainly  too 
frank  in  her  language,  she  had  a  straightforward, 
honest  character  that  was  incapable  of  being  influ- 
enced by  the  prejudices  of  others;  she  liked  to  judge 
things  on  her  own  account,  and  whilst  she  spon- 
taneously   extended   her   sympathies    to    those    whom 

282 


A  Circassian  Princess 

she    liked,    she   did   not   spare   those   who   had   fallen 
under  her  displeasure. 

Madame  Narischkine  used  to  give  magnificent  balls 
in  honour  of  the  Empress  Marie  Feodorovna,  to 
which  she  invited  only  the  personal  friends  of  the 
young  Sovereign  and  her  own  particular  set.  Since 
the  death  of  M.  Emmanuel  Narischkine,  his  widow 
has  been  living  a  retired  existence,  given  up  almost 
exclusively  to  good  deeds  and  kind  actions,  of  which 
the  public  knows  nothing  beyond  what  it  may  hear 
by  chance  or  by  accident. 

The  name  of  Narischkine  reminds  me  of  the  famous 
Basil  Narischkine,  whose  follies  were  so  closely  con- 
nected with  the  French  Second  Empire.  I  also  knew 
him,  though  very  slightly,  and  I  remember  having 
once  taken  my  eldest  daughter  to  a  ball  which  he 
gave  for  his  own  daughter's  coming  out.  It  was  quite 
an  event  in  the  social  life  of  St.  Petersburg,  being  the 
first  time  for  years  that  the  doors  of  the  fine  Narisch- 
kine house  had  been  thrown  open  to  society. 

Its  treasures  in  pictures  and  works  of  art,  collected 
with  such  knowledge  and  care,  were  not  often  to  be 
seen,  because  ever  since  his  marriage  with  a  beautiful 
Circassian  Princess  he  had  become  a  lover  of  his 
fireside,  and,  surrounded  by  his  wife  and  children, 
seemed  to  have  entirely  forgotten  the  gaieties  of 
his  youth,  when,  in  a  game  of  ecarte  at  the  Jockey 
Club,  he  had  staked  half  a  million  on  a  single  card 
against  the  luck  of  the  Turk  Khalil  Bey  and  other 
lords  of  the  like  importance,  the  remembrance  of 
whom  lived  in  the  annals  of  that  long-removed  Cafe 
Anglais. 

283 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

Basil  Narischkine  was  an  exceedingly  pleasant  man 
with  a  fascinating  personality,  in  spite  of  his  extreme 
ugliness.  He  was  keenly,  delicately  clever,  with  more 
knowledge  of  the  world  and  more  experience  than 
most  of  his  contemporaries,  to  which  he  added  a 
certain  air  of  scepticism  and  indulgent  irony  that 
rendered  his  conversation  extremely  interesting  and 
curious.  At  least,  that  was  how  he  impressed  me  on 
the  only  occasion  I  had  of  talking  to  him,  which 
occurred  on  the  night  of  the  ball  I  have  alluded  to, 
when  he  showed  me  personally  many  of  the  art  trea- 
sures he  had  collected,  and  cherished  almost  as  closely 
as  he  did  his  children.  The  Narischkine  house  still 
stands,  but  its  master  is  dead.  His  widow  and  sons 
occupy  the  mansion  when  they  are  in  Russia,  but  they 
spend  the  greater  part  of  the  year  abroad. 

There  was  another  house  in  St.  Petersburg  it  is 
impossible  to  pass  by  in  silence.  It  deserves  to  be 
mentioned  with  respect  if  only  on  account  of  its  strict 
exclusiveness,  otherwise  than  for  a  mere  visit  of  cere- 
mony. It  was  that  of  the  Princess  Elizabeth  Baria- 
tinsky— the  Princess  Betsy,  as  she  was  called  by  her 
intimate  friends,  "  Princess  Chateau,"  as  she  had  been 
nicknamed  by  those  who  were  not  included  among 
the  people  she  liked  to  have  around  her.  I  have  never 
been  able  to  discover  the  origin  of  this  singular  appel- 
lation, but  it  was  currently  bandied  about  town,  and 
one  day  a  newly-arrived  diplomat,  not  acquainted  with 
the  small  mysteries  of  social  hfe  in  St.  Petersburg, 
asked  the  Princess  point  blank  what  castle  she  was 
named  after,  as  he  could  never  remember  it.  The 
reader   may   imagine   how   the    remark    was   received. 

284 


Prince  and  Princess  Bariatinsky 

I  hasten  to  add  that  though  the  story  was  repeated 
everywhere,  I  assume  no  responsibihty  for  its  accuracy. 

The  Princess  Bariatinsky  was  by  birth  and  posi- 
tion one  of  the  greatest  ladies  in  Russia.  She  bore 
herself  regally,  and  her  manners  were  a  model  in  their 
way.  In  the  black  cashmere,  of  which  her  gowns  were 
made  almost  continually  since  her  widowhood,  she 
looked  every  inch  a  queen,  so  imposing  did  she  appear. 

In  her  youth  her  house  had  been  a  centre  of  pleas- 
ant hospitality,  and  until  her  death  she  gave  dinners 
that  were  celebrated  for  their  excellence  and  for  the 
amiability  with  which  she  welcomed  her  guests.  Her 
kindness  in  regard  to  young  people  was  above  praise. 
I  was  very  fond  of  her,  and  extremely  grateful  for 
the  many  kindnesses  I  experienced  at  her  hands,  and 
I  shall  always  remember  her  with  a  respectful  affec- 
tion and  sympathy.  The  house  of  the  Princess  had 
an  importance  in  St.  Petersburg  it  is  almost  impossible 
now  to  explain,  so  entirely  have  the  conditions  of 
existence  changed  since  her  death.  Anyone  who  was 
not  privileged  to  enter  its  doors  felt  somehow  an 
inferior  star  in  the  social  firmament  of  St.  Petersburg, 
and  yet  the  number  of  people  admitted  within  its 
sacred  precincts  was  relatively  very  limited. 

I  knew  also  the  Princess's  husband.  Prince  Vladimir 
Bariatinsky,  a  very  amiable  man,  who  died  a  few  years 
before  his  wife.  Their  only  son  also  died  earlier  than 
his  mother.  At  present  the  pretty  house  in  the  MilJion- 
naya  Street,  where  she  welcomed  her  friends  with  such 
simple  cordiality,  is  nearly  always  closed.  Her  eldest 
daughter,  to  whom  it  now  belongs  and  who  is  married 
to    one    of    her  cousins,    also    a    Prince    Bariatinsky, 

285 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

comes  but  seldom  to  St.  Petersburg,  preferring  to 
remain  in  Rome,  where  she  spends  each  winter  in 
her  lovely  villa. 

The  second  daughter  of  the  Princess  Betsy,  also 
called  by  that  name,  is  the  widow  of  a  Count  Schou- 
valoff,  and  lives  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  palaces  in 
the  capital.  This  palace  on  the  Fontanka  was  the  gift 
of  the  Emperor  Alexander  I.  to  his  mistress,  the  famous 
Marie  Antonovna  Narischkine.  The  Countess  Schouva- 
loff,  like  her  mother  was  before  her,  is  a  very  great 
lady  of  olden  times,  with  grave,  solemn  manners  ;  not 
pretty,  but  possessing  a  splendid  figure,  that  age 
has  not  succeeded  in  spoiling.  She  is  extremely 
charming,  and  perhaps  the  most  hospitable  person  in 
St.  Petersburg,  frequently  giving  sumptuous  balls  and 
receptions  that  are  considered  the  most  important 
in  the  winter  season. 

But  the  most  influential  house  the  Russian  capital 
can  boast  of  is  that  of  the  Countess  Marie  Kleinmichel, 
which  is  the  meeting  place  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  as 
well  as  of  all  the  notable  foreigners  that  ever  arrive 
on  the  borders  of  the  Neva. 

The  Countess  is  pretty  and  clever  ;  she  adores  the 
world  for  the  gossip  that  it  brings  to  her,  cares  especi- 
ally for  politics,  and  is  always  admirably  well-informed 
as  to  everything  that  takes  place  in  her  own  country, 
as  well  as  in  the  rest  of  Europe.  Everybody  knows  her 
in  every  important  capital,  be  it  London,  Paris,  Vienna, 
or  Berlin.  She  is  most  useful  to  her  friends  and 
most  dangerous  to  her  enemies,  an  amusing  woman, 
possessing  unusual  talent.  Her  mother  was  my  first 
cousin,  and  my  best  friend. 

286 


Some  of  the  Smart  Set 

The  Countess  Solsky  also  gave  very  select  receptions. 
The  Princess  Eugenie  of  Oldenburg  often  graced  them 
with  her  presence,  and  they  were  always  entertaining. 
But  though  the  Countess  was  considered  to  be  a  very 
influential  person  in  some  quarters,  one  could  hardly 
say  that  she  kept  open  house,  because  her  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  was  rather  limited. 

In  spite  of  the  considerable  number  of  years  that 
have  elapsed  since  her  death,  I  should  like  to  mention 
Madame  Marie  Dournoff,  the  daughter  of  the  Princess 
Helene  Kotchoubey.  She  was  quite  charming,  not 
only  as  regards  face  and  figure,  but  especially  because 
of  her  sparkling  wit,  her  brilliant  conversation,  her 
refined  and  delicate  tastes,  and  the  utter  absence  of 
affectation  or  of  banality.  There  was  a  time  when 
she  exercised  a  real  and  great  influence  over  St.  Peters- 
burg society  ;  later  on,  however,  she  retired  from  the 
social  whirl,  and  used  to  spend  her  time  with  a  small 
circle  of  intimate  friends.  She  was  enormously  rich  and 
lived  in  a  sumptuous  house  on  the  English  Quay, 
which  she  was  not  destined  to  enjoy  for  many  years, 
as  she  died  whilst  still  young. 

The  smart  set  used  also  to  meet  at  the  house  of 
Princess  Alexandrine  I^obanoff,  the  sister  of  the  Prin- 
cess Betsy  Bariatinsky,  an  exceedingly  clever  woman. 
Then  there  was  the  salon  of  the  Countess  Alexandrine 
Tolstoy,  a  lady-in-waiting  to  the  Empress,  who  had 
superintended  the  education  of  the  Grand  Duchess 
Marie  Alexandrovna,  now  Duchess  Dowager  of  Co- 
burg,  also  a  very  distinguished  person,  where  most 
of  the  intellectual  and  literary  world  of  St.  Petersburg 
congregated.      The    notable    writers    of   the    day  were 

287 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

also  to  be  seen  often  at  the  house  of  Mademoiselle 
Daria  Toutscheff,  the  daughter  of  the  poet  of  that 
name,  and  the  sister  of  Madame  Aksakoff,  the  widow 
of  the  famous  Slavophil  journalist.  Mademoiselle  Tout- 
scheff  was  a  person  of  lightning  wit,  who  for  many 
years  was  attached  to  the  person  of  the  late  Empress 
Marie  Alexandrovna.  These  two  ladies  lived  at  the 
Winter  Palace,  as  also  did  the  Countess  Antoinette 
Bloudoff,  another  remarkable  character,  whose  firm, 
strong  intelligence  could  compete  with  that  of  the 
greatest  thinkers  of  her  time. 

The  Countess  had  been  the  intimate  friend  of  my 
grandmother,  and  treated  me  always  with  a  motherly 
tenderness.  When  she  died  after  a  long  and  painful 
illness,  I  experienced  one  of  the  great  sorrows  of  my 
life,  because  I  loved  her  with  quite  a  filial  affection, 
and  used  to  go  to  see  her  almost  daily. 

Madame  Catherine  Balaschoff,  the  sister  of  the 
Countess  Woronzoff  Dachkoff,  and  a  woman  of  exquis- 
ite natural  grace,  also  gave  receptions  during  the  winter 
season.  Her  parties  were  numerous  and  very  solemn 
but  pleasant,  principally  on  accomit  of  the  extreme 
good  taste  that  prevailed.  The  house  in  which  she 
lived  was  sumptuous,  and  its  arrangement  admirable 
in  the  simple  luxury  prevailing. 

The  Princess  Soltykoff  also  entertained  largely 
before  the  marriage  of  her  three  daughters.  She  had 
been,  and  still  was,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  women 
in  Russia,  and  the  youngest  of  four  sisters,  who  had 
all  been  conspicuous  for  their  good  looks  and  clever- 
ness. I  will  only  mention  briefly  the  receptions  of 
Count    and    Countess   Orloff   Davidoff   in   their   house 

288 


Princess  YoussoupofF 

of  the  Sergievskaya,  with  its  hospitable  traditions. 
Their  father  and  father-in-law,  old  Count  Orloff  Davi- 
doff,  whom  I  can  still  remember,  used  to  give  wonder- 
ful entertainments  that  were  always  honoured  with 
the  presence  of  the  Emperor  and  Empress. 

Young  Princess  Youssoupoff,  the  richest  woman  in 
Russia,  sometimes  opened  the  doors  of  her  magnificent 
Palace  of  the  Moyka  to  her  friends,  but  did  not  do  so 
often.  Though  blessed  with  all  the  good  things  of 
this  earth,  sorrow  has  not  spared  her,  and  since  the 
tragic  death  of  a  beloved  son  she  is  seldom  seen  in 
society. 

But  without  exception  the  most  attractive  person- 
ality in  St.  Petersburg  was  the  late  Princess  Leonille 
Menschikoff,  a  brilliant,  impetuous  woman,  of  brusque 
manners  and  sharp  tongue,  and  yet  the  greatest  of 
great  ladies.  She  lived  more  frequently  abroad  than 
in  Russia,  but  sometimes  made  a  short  sojourn  in 
the  capital,  where  she  gave  one  or  two  marvellous 
balls  or  entertainments.  She  was  original,  sometimes 
strange  and  bizarre  in  her  tastes  and  mind,  and  she 
was  endowed  with  a  particular  charm  that  was 
eminently  distinctive. 


289 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PRETTY    WOMEN    AND    AMIABLE    MEN 

IN  the  'eighties  there  were  many  pretty  women  in 
St.  Petersburg.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  is  the 
present  fashion,  or  whether  people's  ideas  as  to  beauty 
have  changed,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  what  was  con- 
sidered to  be  lovely  at  the  time  of  my  youth  no  longer 
constitutes  beauty,  nor  are  there  so  many  good-looking 
women  as  there  were  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago.  One 
reason,  I  think,  is  that  sport,  to  which  girls  are  so 
devoted,  has  robbed  them  of  a  good  deal  of  the  old- 
time  feminine  grace.  They  can  neither  walk,  nor 
dance,  nor  move  about  with  the  ease  and  the  dignity 
of  their  mothers  and  grandmothers.  Sharpness  in  tone 
as  well  as  in  manners  has  taken  the  place  of  the  soft- 
ness and  politeness  of  former  days.  The  fashions  of 
to-day  are  not  becoming  ;  even  at  the  risk  of  being 
called  old-fashioned  I  cannot  help  regretting  the  slender, 
willow  waists  which  were  the  vogue  when  I  was  young. 
It  would  be  next  to  impossible  to  mention  by  name 
all  the  beautiful  faces  that  added  so  much  brilliance 
to  every  fashionable  entertainment  of  the  period.  I 
shall,  however,  try  to  recall  a  few.  One  of  the  loveliest 
creatures  I  ever  met  was  Madame  Catherine  Tolstoy, 
called  Kitty  by  her  friends.  Her  Madonna-like  features 
and  straight   profile  were    the  despair  of   any  painter 

290 


Beautiful  Madame  Tolstoy 

who  attempted  to  reproduce  them  on  canvas  or  paper. 
The  Duchess  de  Sermoneta  was  perhaps  more  regularly 
beautiful,  the  Countess  de  Villeneuve  more  dazzling, 
to  mention  only  these  two ;  but  neither  of  them 
possessed  the  sweet,  wonderful  eyes  that  made  Madame 
Tolstoy  so  extraordinarily  fascinating,  nor  had  they 
her  indescribable  charm.  With  all  her  physical  quali- 
ties, she  was  good,  kind,,  amiable,  sweet,  and  charm- 
ing. These  were  the  characteristics  of  her  youth,  and 
she  has  retained  them  to  this  day.  Age  has  not  de- 
stroyed the  beauty  of  her  features,  and  her  white  hair 
only  adds  to  her  attraction.  If  I  were  a  man,  I  think 
I  would  commit  any  folly  for  the  sake  of  Madame 
Tolstoy. 

Of  late  sorrow  has  fallen  upon  Madame  Tolstoy 
by  the  death  of  her  husband.  It  is  all  the  more  sad 
because  just  before  his  death  they  had  taken  a  pretty 
house  in  Paris,  which  she  has  furnished  with  con- 
summate taste.  She  is  a  grandmother,  and  makes 
no  secret  of  the  fact,  nor  of  the  years  that  have 
passed   over   her  head. 

Princess  Lise  Volkhonsky,  of  whom  I  shall  have 
something  more  to  say  presently,  had  also  been  in  her 
youth  a  very  handsome  woman.  Imposing  and  digni- 
fied in  her  manners,  her  bearing  was  that  of  a  great 
lady.  Of  Zina  Beauharnais,  the  lovely  creature  who 
broke  so  many  hearts  by  her  indifference,  and  was 
quite  unconscious  of  the  feelings  which  she  inspired, 
I  have  already  spoken.  There  were  also  the  two 
Kourakine  sisters,  the  daughters  of  the  Princess  Anatole 
Kourakine,  the  eldest  of  whom  married  Prince  Sha- 
hovskoy,    and    is    already    a   grandmother,    whilst   the 

291 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

younger  one  is  the  wife  of  M.  Schebeko,  the  Russian 
diplomat.  They  were  both  considered  the  prettiest 
girls  in  society,  as  well  as  the  most  charming. 

Another  lovely  woman  was  little  Princess  Salome 
of  Mingrelia,  who  later  married  Prince  Obolensky,  and 
who  represented  the  Georgian  type  in  all  its  purity, 
^ladame  Polovtsov,  the  adopted  daughter  of  old  Baron 
Stieglitz  and  heiress  to  his  millions,  had  also  been 
amongst  the  renowned  beauties  of  her  generation  ;  I 
only  met  her  when  her  daughters  were  my  own  age, 
but  even  then  she  could  have  rivalled  many  pretty 
women  in  their  prime.  Then  there  was  Madame 
Scheremetieff  (nee  Salovoy),  in  whose  faultless  features 
one  could  guess  the  brilliant  loveliness  that  had  been 
hers  in  her  younger  days,  and  whose  daughter,  the 
Baroness  Knorring,  resembles  her  by  the  charm  of 
her  manners,  as  well  as  by  the  beauty  of  her  soft 
hazel  eyes.  In  her  youth  Princess  Youssoupoff  had 
been  considered  a  pretty  woman.  She  was,  too,  so 
pleasant  and  amiable  that  she  was  considered  one  of 
the  most  popular  women  in  St.  Petersburg  society. 
She  was  also  the  greatest  heiress  in  Russia,  the  owner 
of  fine  palaces,  estates,  and  jewels,  accumulated  by 
the  several  generations  of  millionaires  from  whom  she 
had  descended.  Her  only  surviving  son — the  elder  one 
having  been  killed  in  a  duel  under  tragic  circumstances 
a  few  years  ago — married  hardly  a  year  ago  the 
Princess  Irene  of  Russia,  only  daughter  of  the  Grand 
Duchess  Xenia  Alexandrovna,  and  the  granddaughter 
of  the  late  Tsar  Alexander  III. 

The  most  elegant  and  best-dressed  woman  in  St. 
Petersburg  was,  and  still  is,  the   Princess   Olga  Orloff, 

292 


Gaieties  of  St.  Petersburg 

who  is  almost  as  well  known  in  Paris  and  London  as 
she  is  in  Russia.  She  is  no  longer  young,  but  irre- 
sistibly graceful.  Her  sister,  the  Princess  Kotchoubey, 
whose  husband  is  one  of  the  personal  friends  of  the 
present  Emperor,  was  very  beautiful  in  her  youth ; 
whilst  their  mother,  the  Princess  Nadine  Belosselsky, 
the  sister  of  the  Countess  Zina  Beauharnais,  and 
of  the  famous  General  Skobeleff,  was  far  handsomer 
than  even  her  daughters,  and  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
beauties  of  her  generation. 

The  daughters  of  Count  Woronzoff  Dachkoff  were 
also  pretty  girls,  though  far  from  attaining  their 
mother's  lovehness.  The  Princess  Annette  Soltykoff, 
as  well  as  her  sister,  the  Princess  Mary  Dolgorouky, 
now  Countess  Benckendorff,  have  each  been  famous 
beauties. 

Yes,  a  ball  in  St.  Petersburg  at  that  time  was  a 
pretty  sight  indeed  !  The  women  were  attractive, 
either  by  their  beauty  or  by  their  wit,  and  the  men 
too— at  least  those  whom  one  used  to  meet  often  in 
society— were  pleasant,  and  did  not  avoid  the  society 
of  ladies,  as  they  so  often  do  to-day.  The  military 
cadets  and  pupils  of  privileged  schools,  who  at  pre- 
sent constitute  the  most  sohd  contingent  of  dancing 
men,  were  not  at  that  time  allowed  to  be  present 
until   they  had  completed   their   education. 

The  young  officers  in  the  various  crack  regiments 
went  about  a  great  deal  in  society,  which  they  no 
longer  do  nowadays.  The  chevaliers  gardes,  of  which 
regiment  the  Empress  Marie  Feodorovna  was  chief, 
were  particularly  in  request  at  all  entertainments  in 
society.     During   the   last   years   of  the   reign   of  the 

293 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

late  Emperor,  the  Preobrajensky  Regiment,  which  had 
been  commanded  for  a  considerable  time  by  the  Grand 
Duke  Serge  Alexandrovitch,  began  to  appear  more 
than  formerly  at  the  smartest  balls  of  the  winter 
season,  whilst  it  became  fashionable  for  young  men 
belonging  by  birth  to  the  highest  aristocracy  to  seek 
to  join  it.  All  these  different  elements  made  a  ball 
in  St.  Petersburg,  cither  at  Court  or  in  society,  a  very 
pretty  thing  to  watch  and  to  take  part  in. 

I  have  mentioned  pleasant  men.  Many  of  my  old 
friends  have  died,  such  as  one  of  the  two  Princes 
Ouroussoff.  The  eldest.  Prince  Julius,  alone  survives. 
Then  there  was  General  Count  Alexander  Moussine 
Pouschkine,  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most  brilliant 
men  of  his  time ;  and  many  others  who,  alas,  are 
forgotten  to-day. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  think  about  these  dead 
years  without  associating  them  with  the  Empress 
Marie  Feodorovna.  Time  has  sat  lightly  upon  her, 
because  she  has  kept  her  youthful  looks  in  a  quite 
marvellous  way,  and  though  she  is  past  sixty,  she 
scarcely  looks  more  than  thirty-five.  Her  beautiful 
eyes  have  been  clouded  by  many  bitter  tears,  but 
yet  they  have  retained  their  expressive  softness,  and 
her  smile  the  sweetness  that  made  it  so  charming. 


294 


CHAPTER  IX 

PRINCESS   LISE   VOLKHONSKY 

T   HAVE   mentioned   that   Princess  Lise  Volkhonsky 
A     deserves    something    more    than    a    mere    remem- 
brance.   She  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  women 
of  her  time,  not  only  by  reason  of  her  beauty,  but  also 
for  her  many  charms,  her  cleverness,  and  strength  of 
character.     She  was  the  wife  of  Prince  Michael  Volk- 
honsky, the  son  of  that   Prince  Volkhonsky  who  was 
sentenced  to  penal  servitude  in  Siberia  for  having  taken 
part   in   the   plot   still   called  in  Russia   the  conspira- 
tion of  the  Decembrists,  through  which  the  Emperor 
Nicholas   I.  nearly   lost   his   throne.     Volkhonsky  had 
been  one  of  its  leaders,  and  paid  a  heavy  price  for  his 
error.      His   wife,  refusing,  to   her   honour,  to    accept 
her  freedom,  did   not  hesitate  to  share  his  fate,  and 
in    the    snows  of   Siberia    she    lived    for   many  years, 
cheering  her  husband's  exile  and  giving  birth  to  several 
children,    one    of  whom   became    the   husband   of  his 
lovely  cousin,  the  Princess  Lise. 

Prince  Michael  Volkhonsky  was  restored  to  his 
father's  titles  and  estates  only  during  the  reign  of 
Alexander  II.,  and  he  had  a  subsequent  brilliant  ad- 
mmistrative  career.  He  was  persona  grata  at  Court, 
very  wealthy  and  clever,  with  rather  a  caustic  turn 
of  mind,  but  an  exceedingly  pleasant  and  interesting 

295 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

talker.  He  was  fond  of  entertaining,  a  taste  that  his 
wife  shared  with  him,  and  the  couple  gave  sumptuous 
receptions,  at  which  the  Emperor  and  Empress  were 
frequently  present.  They  had  several  sons,  every  one 
clever,  especially  Prince  Sergius,  who  subsequently 
became  Director  of  the  Imperial  Theatres,  and  his 
third  brother,  Vladimir,  who  for  some  years  occupied 
the  responsible  position  of  Vice-president  of  the  Duma. 
Their  only  daughter.  Princess  Mary,  now  lives  most 
of  the  year  in  Rome,  where  so  many  Russians  are 
domiciled. 

Princess  Lise  Volkhonsky,  as  I  have  already  said, 
was  a  cousin  of  her  husband's,  also  a  Princess  Volk- 
honsky by  birth.  She  had  grave  manners,  but  withal 
could  be  pleasant ;  she  had  the  dignified  demeanour 
of  a  queen,  and  could  very  well  convey  to  the  guests 
she  entertained  in  her  house  that  she  had  conferred 
a  favour  on  them  by  inviting  them  to  enter  it.  Her 
intelligence  was  quite  out  of  the  common,  and  would, 
I  believe,  have  been  even  more  appreciated  than  it 
was  had  she  not  been  quite  so  pedantic. 

When  I  knew  her  she  was  past  middle  age,  so  that 
I  cannot  say  what  she  might  have  been  in  her  youth, 
but  at  the  time  1  was  introduced  to  her  she  was  ex- 
tremely intolerant  of  the  light  conversations  that  com- 
pose the  small  talk  one  generally  hears  in  society. 
She  only  cared  to  discuss  grave  and  serious  questions 
of  world-wide  interest,  and  she  was  more  a  humani- 
tarian than  a  lover  of  humanity. 

Her  erudition  was  something  wonderful;  she  could 
easily  have  put  to  shame  many  a  studious  old  Bene- 
dictine  monk.     She  had  spent  a  considerable  part  of 

296 


A  High-Born  Seceder 

her  life  in  Italy,  especially  in  Rome,  where  she  had 
met  many  learned  theologians  and  archaeologists,  and 
whenever  she  was  able  to  return  to  Italy  she  sought 
their  society  with  avidity.  Pious  by  temperament 
and  by  nature,  she  had  fallen  under  the  influence  of 
the  Jesuits,  and  after  having  studied  the  history  of  the 
Roman  Church  under  their  guidance  and  inspiration, 
she  wrote  several  remarkably  clever  monographs  and 
books,  advocating  the  union  of  the  Greek  and  Catholic 
Churches,  a  subject  that  had  always  interested  her,  and 
which  was  very  near  her  heart  during  the  latter  years 
of  her  life. 

The  end  of  these  literary  dreams  was  the  con- 
version of  the  Princess  to  the  Catholic  faith,  a  thing 
which  then  was  still  a  most  rare  incident  among  the 
Russian  high  aristocracy,  where  attachment  to  the 
religion  of  the  country  was  considered  indispensable 
to  all  well-born  people.  That  conversion —which,  it 
must  be  added,  she  did  not  flaunt  before  the  eyes  of 
her  friends  and  family —became  nevertheless  known 
in  society,  where  it  caused  a  mild  scandal.  But  the 
Princess  was  not  subjected  to  annoyance  concern- 
ing it,  and  it  was  really  only  at  her  death  that  the 
outside  world  became  aware  of  the  fact,  through  the 
necessity  of  burying  her  according  to  the  rites  of  the 
faith  she  had  embraced.  Her  husband  would  have 
greatly  preferred  to  have  her  obsequies  solemnised  by 
the  Greek  Church,  but  there  M.  Pobedonostseff,  the 
dreaded  Procurator  of  the  Holy  Synod,  interfered,  and 
refused  his  consent  to  an  act  of  hypocrisy,  against 
which  probably  the  ardent  and  straightforward  soul  of 
the  Princess  Lise  would  have  been  the  first  to  revolt ; 

297 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

and  so  for  the  first  time  in  the  annals  of  the  Volk- 
honsky  family  one  of  its  most  illustrious  representa- 
tives was  accompanied  to  her  grave  by  the  prayers 
of  an  alien  Church. 

Princess  Lise  was  of  an  extremely  autocratic 
character ;  she  would  not  brook  contradiction,  no 
matter  in  what  shape  or  form  it  presented  itself  to 
her.  She  had,  I  believe,  a  very  high  opinion  of  her 
own  intelligence,  though  she  did  not  show  it  openly; 
she  nevertheless  contrived  to  make  for  herself  many 
enemies  through  the  disdainful  manner  in  which  she 
treated  the  people  who  seemed  to  her  to  be  not  on 
her  own  mental  level.  But  once  she  felt  a  sym- 
pathetic attraction  to  anyone,  she  gave  a  strong  and 
faithful  friendship,  which  never  swerved  in  its  loyalty 
through  good  report  or  ill.  She  was  slightly  dis- 
dainful of  others,  but  though  she  did  not  care  to 
show  it,  it  became  difficult  for  her  not  to  do  so,  because 
she  was  frankness  itself,  and  the  honesty  and  straight- 
forwardness of  her  character  did  not  allow  her  to 
dissemble. 

It  would  have  been  difficult  to  meet  a  woman 
more  abreast  of  the  literary  movement  of  her  time. 
No  serious  or  important  book,  whether  in  her  own 
language  or  another,  remained  unknown  to  her,  and 
one  could  not  help  sometimes  wondering  where  she 
found  the  time  to  read  so  many  books  studiously,  for 
she  was  able  to  tell  you  by  heart  the  subject-matter 
of  every  volume  that  she  had  read. 

Hasty  in  character  but  cold  in  demeanour,  she 
was  not  easy  to  understand  properly,  and  it  was  even 
more  difficult  to  guess  her  thoughts  or  to  realise  all 

298 


Princess  Volkhonsky's  Home  Circle 

the  passions  that  fought  against  each  other  in  her 
ardent  soul.  When  once  one  had  met  her  it  was 
impossible  to  remain  indifferent  where  she  was  con- 
cerned, and  one  could  only  either  love  or  detest  her, 
but  no  matter  which  of  these  two  feelings  she  inspired, 
one  always  felt  interested.  She  was  entirely  different 
from  the  ordinary  run ;  sometimes  she  was  hard, 
sometimes  hasty,  and  ever  stubborn ;  but  with  it 
all,  noble,  great,  generous,  and  grand,  with  an  utter 
absence  of  meanness. 

Princess  Volkhonsky  received  a  small  circle  of 
friends  in  the  early  hours  of  the  evening,  apart  from 
the  large  entertainments  that  she  gave,  which  became 
somewhat  more  scarce  in  the  last  years  of  her  life, 
and  if  one  had  had  the  honour  to  be  asked  to  enter 
that  circle,  some  remarkably  entertaining  hours  were 
spent  at  her  fireside.  In  my  mind's  eye  I  can  still  see 
that  large  room  hung  with  red  silk,  not  overcrowded 
with  furniture,  and  rather  stiff  in  arrangement.  Princess 
Lise's  wide  arm-chair  was  placed  close  to  a  round 
table,  on  which  stood  a  lamp  with  its  large  shade. 
It  was  then  that  one  found  the  best  opportunity  of 
studying  her  and  listening  to  her  grave,  serious  talk, 
and  in  such  moods  she  sometimes  allowed  the  secret 
of  her  inner  thoughts  to  escape  her,  and  permitted 
others  to  read  into  her  soul.  It  was  during  these 
quiet  evenings  she  revealed  herself  as  a  totally  superior 
woman,  devoid  of  prejudices  and  preconceived  notions, 
absorbed  in  the  highest  problems  of  the  human  heart 
and  thought. 

The  Princess,  perhaps  on  account  of  her  conversion 
to  Catholicism,  liked  to  have  members  of  the  Roman 

299 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

clergy  about  her,  and,  as  I  have  already  mentioned, 
used  to  indulge  in  dreams  concerning  the  eventual 
union  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  Churches.  One  of  her 
most  frequent  visitors  was  the  famous  philosopher, 
Vladimir  Solovieff,  whose  grave  and  wonderful  intelli- 
gence harmonised  so  well  with  her  own.  Solovieff  was 
a  most  curious  type.  His  ascetic  face,  with  its  long, 
falling  hair,  offered  a  vague  likeness  to  the  head  of 
Christ  such  as  it  appears  to  us  on  the  veil  of  Veronica, 
and  such  as  it  had  been  preserved  to  us  by  tradition. 
Solovieff  also  spent  his  existence  dreaming  impossible 
dreams,  and  though  deeply  religious,  had,  I  believe, 
no  religion  in  the  sense  that  ordinary  people  attribute 
to  that  word.  He  used  to  live  in  very  high  regions 
of  human  thought,  engrossed  in  metaphysical  studies, 
longing  after  an  era  of  universal  peace  and  general 
concord  of  all  the  nations  of  the  world,  and  he  too, 
as  well  as  the  Princess,  indulged  in  the  illusion  of  the 
possibility  of  a  union  of  Rome  with  St.  Petersburg, 
which  he  preached  in  all  his  works  with  a  vehemence 
that  often  over-reached  itself. 

I  met  Solovieff  very  often  at  Princess  Volk- 
honsky's,  and  I  also  saw  him  in  my  own  house,  where 
he  used  to  come  from  time  to  time.  He  interested 
me  deeply,  though  on  many  questions  our  opinions 
were  diametrically  opposed.  I  used  to  find  him  too 
idealistic  by  far,  and  I  could  not  understand  the 
vivacity  with  which  he  spent  his  strength  in  pursuing 
what  I  considered  to  be  chimeras.  But  I  liked  to 
hear  him  talk,  and  his  attitude  of  an  Apostle  exercised 
a  great  fascination  upon  me,  as  indeed  upon  all  those 
who  had  the  opportunity  to  observe  his  demeanour.     In 

300 


The  Princess  and  SoloviefF 

hearing  him  expound  his  ideas  and  convictions  one 
could  easily  transport  oneself  to  the  early  days  of 
Christianity  at  the  time  when  the  religion  of  Jesus 
was  preached  to  the  world  by  enthusiasts. 

Solovieff  used  also  to  speak  of  the  necessity  of 
mortifying  the  flesh  and  of  renouncing  worldly  joys, 
in  the  hope  of  an  eternity  of  bliss;  and  one  felt 
the  influence  of  his  words,  even  whilst  one's  mind 
refused  to  share  the  illusions  that  inspired  him.  He 
was  perhaps  the  one  man  who  could  understand 
Princess  Lise  Volkhonsky,  and  so  followed  naturally 
their  friendship  for  each  other,  as  well  as  the  sym- 
pathy that  united  their  two  hearts. 


301 


CHAPTER    X 

FAMOUS    DIPLOMATS 

FOR  many  years  the  doyen  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps 
in  St.  Petersburg  was  General  von  Schweinitz, 
who  for  seventeen  years  was  the  German  Ambassador. 
Formerly  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  household  of 
the  Emperor  Frederick  III.  in  the  days  when  Frederick 
was  still  Crown  Prince.  He  had  been  very  much 
liked  by  his  Royal  master,  and  was  considered  as  one 
of  his  personal  and  most  trusted  friends.  Indeed, 
Prince  Bismarck  at  one  time  became  alarmed  as  to 
the  consequences  this  friendship  might  bring  about, 
and  General,  then  Colonel,  von  Schweinitz  was  obliged 
to  abandon  his  post  in  order  to  take  up  a  diplomatic 
appointment,  first  in  Vienna  and  then  in  St.  Peters- 
burg. He  was  an  exceedingly  intelligent  and  clever 
man,  who  knew  Russia  intimately  and  was  conversant 
with  the  intricacies  of  Russian  politics.  His  char- 
acter was  frank  and  loyal ;  he  worked  with  sin- 
cerity towards  a  thorough  understanding  between  the 
Cabinet  of  St.  Petersburg  and  that  of  Berlin,  and  he 
certainly  saw  farther  than  those  who  were  at  the  head 
of  the  Russian  as  well  as  of  the  German  Government. 
He  was,  moreover,  imbued  with  the  traditions  of  a 
former  time,  when  the  two  reigning  houses  of  Romanoff 
and   Hohenzollern    had    been   united    by    closest   ties. 

302 


General  von  Schweinitz 

Prince  Bismarck  liked  and  respected  him,  and  the 
Emperor  Alexander  III.  had  professed  great  esteem 
as  well  as  friendship  for  him,  following  thus  the 
example  set  to  him  by  his  father,  of  whom  General 
von  Schweinitz  had  been  a  favourite. 

The  General's  aims  were  essentially  of  a  pacific 
nature,  and  his  great  experience  of  public  affairs  was 
constantly  at  the  service  of  the  cause  of  peace.  Never- 
theless, thanks  to  external  circumstances,  he  felt 
somehow  that  his  position  had  changed,  and  requested 
his  recall  from  St.  Petersburg  before  the  tide  of 
French  sympathy  had  carried  eveiything  before  it,  and 
forced  upon  him  the  feeling  that  his  influence  had 
become  less  powerful  than  that  of  Count  de  Monte- 
bello,  to  whose  efforts,  principally,  was  due  the  close 
intercourse  of  Russia  with  the  Third  Republic.  Every- 
body was  regretful  when  General  von  Schweinitz  left 
Russia,  his  colleagues  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  the 
Foreign  Office,  where  he  was  as  much  liked  as  respected, 
and  also  Society  as  a  whole,  so  popular  had  he  always 
been.  On  the  evening  he  started  for  Berlin  the  Warsaw 
railway  station  was  crowded  with  people  assembled 
to  wish  him  good-bye. 

He  was  succeeded  in  his  delicate  and  difficult  post 
by  General  von  Werder,  formerly  military  attache, 
who  had  also  been  in  Russia  for  many  years,  and 
whom  his  friends  considered  almost  more  Russian 
than  German.  He  was  one  of  the  few  people  whom 
Alexander  II.  admitted  to  the  intimacy  of  his  family 
life,  and  allowed  to  become  friends  with  his  second 
wife,  the  Princess  Yourievsky.  General  von  Werder 
was  kind-hearted,  frank,  sincere,  incapable  of  deceiving 


303 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

even  a  foe  ;  a  real  soldier,  with  a  soldier's  frankness, 
which  he  often  used  and  even  sometimes  abused. 
But  it  is  to  be  questioned  whether  he  was  quite  the 
man  in  the  right  place,  or  astute  enough  to  discover 
and  to  fight  intrigue.  He  was  extremely  fond  of  St. 
Petersburg,  and  was  delighted  when  sent  back  to  the 
banks  of  the  Neva  as  an  Ambassador.  His  joy  was 
not  long  lived,  however,  because  he  was  suddenly  re- 
called in  the  most  unexpected  manner,  both  the 
Emperor  William  and  the  Chancellor,  Prince  Hohen- 
lohe,  having  felt  displeased  at  the  want  of  foresight 
which  he  displayed  when  he  had  allowed  the  alliance 
with  France  to  be  concluded  under  his  very  eyes. 
He  was  therefore  asked  to  retire,  being  made  aware 
in  an  almost  brutal  manner  that  his  services  were 
no  longer  required.  Prince  Hohenlohe  sent  him,  by 
special  messenger,  a  letter  bluntly  signifying  to  him 
that  he  was  to  present  his  letters  of  recall  imme- 
diately. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Prince  Radolin,  a  former 
favourite  of  the  Iron  Chancellor,  and  occupying  a 
responsible  position  in  the  household  of  the  Emperor 
Frederick  III.  Prince  Radolin  was  a  Pole,  which  fact 
accounts  perhaps  for  his  personification  of  the  man 
"  ondoyant  et  divers,''^  of  whom  speaks  old  Montaigne. 
Apart  from  this,  he  had  an  engaging  personality,  and 
was  the  husband  of  a  charming  wife.  But  notwith- 
standing these  two  advantages  and  his  large  fortune, 
which  allowed  him  to  entertain  on  a  considerable  scale, 
he  did  not  succeed  in  achieving  popularity  in  St.  Peters- 
burg. He  managed,  in  particular,  to  get  into  the  black 
books  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Marie  Pavlovna,  who  made  no 

304 


Some  British  Ambassadors 

secret  of  her  enmity.  No  surprise  was  felt  when  he 
was  transferred  to  Paris,  where  he  spent  a  long  time 
and  made  many  more  friendships  than  had  been  the 
case  in  Russia. 

During  the  years  I  was  in  St.  Petersburg,  Austria 
had  been  successively  represented  by  Count  Volken- 
stein,  the  husband  of  Countess  Schleinitz,  and  later 
on  by  Prince  Francis  of  Liechtenstein,  the  brother  of 
the  reigning  Prince  of  that  name.  He  was  as  haughty 
as  the  Austrian  nobility  generally  are,  but  concealed 
it  under  an  amiable  exterior.  He  represented  his 
Sovereign  very  well,  and  had  the  reputation  of  being 
a  shrewdly  intelligent  man,  notwithstanding  which  he 
did  not  remain  long  in  Russia.  I  think  he  never  felt 
quite  at  home,  and  did  not  like  being  the  cynosure  of 
all  eyes ;  it  interfered  with  the  liberty  his  indepen- 
dent character  appreciated  more  than  anything  else. 
I  have  never  met  any  of  his  successors. 

I  used  to  go  very  often  to  the  English  Embassy  at 
the  time  when  Sir  Edward  Thornton  was  at  its  head. 
Lady  Thornton  was  an  amiable  woman  with  two  ex- 
ceedingly attractive  daughters,  and  their  house  was  a 
most  agreeable  one  for  their  numerous  friends.  When 
Sir  Edward  was  transferred  to  Constantinople  he  was 
succeeded  in  St.  Petersburg  by  Sir  Robert  Morier,  who 
had  the  reputation  of  being  unusually  clever  and  an 
enterprising  diplomat.  His  daughter  made  a  multitude 
of  friends  in  the  smart  set  of  the  capital. 

I  did  not  see  much  of  the  Moriers,  who  I  believe 

did  not  consider  me  elegant  enough  to  be  admitted 

among  their  intimate  friends  ;    but  I  frequently  visited 

their  successors,  Sir  Edward  and  Lady  Lascelles,  under 

u  305 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

whose  auspices  the  Enghsh  Embassy  became  one  of 
the  most  charming  houses  in  St.  Petersburg,  as  well  as 
one  of  the  most  entertaining  ;  and  Sir  Edward  was  even 
one  of  the  witnesses  of  the  marriage  of  my  second 
daughter  with  Prince  Bllicher  von  Wahlstadt. 

It  was  towards  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Alexander 
III.  that  Count  and  Countess  de  Montebello  arrived 
in  St.  Petersburg,  and  they  succeeded  almost  at  once 
in  making  for  themselves  an  unparalleled  ambassa- 
dorial position.  Under  their  predecessors  M.  and 
Madame  de  Laboulaye,  the  doors  of  the  French  Em- 
bassy had  not  often  been  opened,  and  its  few  func- 
tions had  savoured  of  austerity  and  strict  etiquette. 
When  the  Montebellos  came,  everything  changed. 
They  displayed  lavish  hospitality  to  the  people  they 
came  to  know  very  well,  just  as  much  as  to  those 
with  whom  they  enjoyed  but  a  passing  acquaintance. 
The  Countess  was  fond  of  society  in  general,  and 
also  fond  of  giving  entertainments,  which  materially 
helped  them  to  become  very  popular.  She  was  enor- 
mously rich,  being  the  granddaughter  and  only  heiress 
of  old  Madame  Chevreux  Aubertot,  the  owner  of  one 
of  the  largest  and  best  shops  in  Paris.  The  Countess, 
too,  was  clever,  amiable,  merry,  with  a  great  knowledge 
of  the  world,  and  a  certain  careless  politeness  ;  thus 
she  reaped  a  considerable  harvest  of  success,  surpass- 
ing even  her  own  highest  expectations. 

To  visit  the  Montebellos'  very  soon  became  the 
one  great  thing,  and  any  invitation  to  their  house  was 
eagerly  accepted,  equally  by  members  of  the  Imperial 
family  as  by  the  most  notable  persons  of  the  town  and 
Court.     The  Countess  possessed  to  perfection  the  art 

306 


Count  de  Montebello 

of  imparting  animation  to  her  receptions  and  of  ex- 
cluding stiffness  ;  and  it  must  be  said,  to  her  honour, 
that  she  was  just  as  amiable  and  pleasant  towards 
a  functionary  arriving  from  a  distant  province  and 
believing  himself  obliged  to  pay  a  call  at  the  French 
Embassy,  as  to  any  member  of  the  most  fashionable 
set  in  the  capital. 

Count  de  Montebello,  who  was  slightly  over- 
shadowed by  the  effusive  personality  of  his  lively 
wife,  was  a  diplomat  such  as  they  were  supposed  to 
be  in  olden  times  before  the  telegraph  and  telephone 
had  in  a  certain  sense  done  away  with  initiative.  He 
had  preserved  the  traditions  of  his  youth,  and  was 
just  as  much  absorbed  by  the  exigencies  of  the  pro- 
tocol of  etiquette  as  by  those  connected  with  the 
preservation  of  European  peace.  He  was  a  quiet, 
sedate  man,  an  excellent  worker,  and  a  polite,  well- 
bred  gentleman.  His  staff  was  devoted  to  him, 
because  he  showed  much  kind  care  for  his  subordin- 
ates, and  was  quite  fatherly  in  regard  to  the  young 
secretaries  and  attaches  placed  under  his  orders ; 
indeed,  wherever  he  went  he  succeeded  in  inspiring 
strong  sympathies. 

The  mission  of  Count  and  Countess  de  Montebello 
in  St.  Petersburg  during  the  ten  years  or  so  that  it 
lasted  contributed  considerably  to  the  consolidation  of 
the  Franco-Russian  Alliance,  and  hastened  its  definite 
conclusion.  They  contrived  to  make  themselves  appre- 
ciated, and  smoothed  away  by  their  tact  certain  un- 
pleasant impressions  that  existed  amongst  Russian 
society  even  more  than  in  Court  circles,  in  regard  to 
the  French   Government  and  the   Republican  regime. 

307 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

When  they  were  recalled,  owing  to  jealousies  which 
their  growing  popularity  had  evoked  in  France,  their 
departure  was  sincerely  regretted. 

Beyond  these  successive  occupants  of  the  great 
ambassadorial  posts,  there  were  other  interesting  per- 
sonalities in  the  diplomatic  ranks.  The  Danish  Minister 
was,  perhaps,  the  most  important,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  he  represented  the  native  country  of  the  Empress, 
and  was  consequently  treated  with  particular  dis- 
tinction. For  a  long  time  General  de  Kjoers,  who  had 
some  relationship  to  the  Royal  Family  of  Denmark, 
was  in  possession  of  the  post,  and  was  very  much 
liked,  not  only  at  Court,  but  also  in  society.  He  was 
invited  everywhere,  and  his  daughters  were  also  ap- 
preciated for  their  wit  and  charming  manners. 
When  the  General  died,  his  successor  inherited  the 
advantages  of  his  position,  but  hardly  his  popu- 
larity. 

Spain  had  been  represented  for  more  years  than 
people  cared  to  count  by  the  Marquis  de  Campo 
Sagrado,  the  morganatic  brother-in-law  of  Queen  Isa- 
bella, married  to  her  half-sister,  the  daughter  of  Queen 
Christina,  and  the  Due  de  Rianzares.  The  Marquis 
was  about  the  stoutest  man  I  have  ever  seen,  and 
had  all  the  joviality  supposed  to  belong  to  fat  persons. 
He  was  essentially  un  bon  vivant,  fond  of  good  wines, 
good  cheer,  and  pretty  women,  with  whom  he  was  a 
favourite,  notwithstanding  his  immense  corpulence. 
He  had  also  contrived  to  be  accepted  in  a  set  presided 
over  by  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis,  brother  of  the  Emperor, 
and  no  fashionable  entertainment  took  place  without 
his  being  invited  to  it.     He  lived   in   St.   Petersburg 

308 


Marquis  de  Campo  Sagrado 

as  a  lonely  bachelor  ;  the  Marchioness,  whose  fortune 
he  had  spent,  and  whose  heart  he  was  said  to  have 
broken,  had  at  last  separated  from  him  and  settled 
at  Biarritz.  Two  of  his  daughters,  however,  came 
to  Russia  one  winter,  and  did  the  honours  of  the 
Spanish  Legation  for  their  father.  They  were  both 
remarkably  handsome,  and  excited  a  good  deal  of 
admiration  wherever  they  went.  The  eldest  one  was 
already  married  to  a  Spanish  grandee.  Count  Guen- 
doulein  ;  whilst  the  younger  was  united  a  few  years 
later  to  a  member  of  the  Spanish  Royal  Family,  Don 
Luis  de  Bourbon,  Duke  of  Ansola.  She  became  a 
widow  very  soon,  and  is  at  present  married  to  a 
Spanish  diplomat,  Don  Mendez  de  Vigo. 

The  Marquis  de  Campo  Sagrado  was  fond  of  St. 
Petersburg,  of  its  society,  and  of  the  position  which 
he  enjoyed  in  it ;  he  would  have  asked  nothing  better 
than  to  be  allowed  to  end  his  days  in  Russia  ;  but 
unfortunately  for  him,  his  creditors,  which  were  legion, 
were  not  of  the  same  opinion,  and  began  to  clamour 
for  their  money  with  such  energy  that  he  had  at  last 
to  leave  Russia  before  having  even  presented  officially 
his  letters  of  recall,  which  were  handed  over  by  his 
successor,  in  order  that  he  should  remain  until  the 
end  covered  by  his  diplomatic  immunity  from  pursuit 
by  his  irate  creditors. 

That  successor  was  Count  Villagonzala,  a  charming 
man,  whose  wide,  fan-shaped  beard  gave  rise  to  many 
jests  in  the  worst  possible  taste.  He  entertained  more 
than  did  the  Marquis,  and  his  cook  deserves  to  be 
remembered  with  gratitude  by  all  those  who  tasted 
his  sauces.     The  Count  was  a  perfect  gentleman,  and 

309 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

a  favourite  with  the  Grand  Duchess  Marie  Pavlovna, 
at  whose  five  o'clock  teas  he  put  in  an  appearance 
almost  every  day. 

As  for  Italy,  its  embassy  was  very  animated  whilst 
Baron  Marochetti  was  at  its  head,  and  its  honours 
were  done  by  his  amiable  wife.  I  do  not  think  I  was 
ever  at  the  Embassy  after  their  departure ;  but  whilst 
the  Baroness  presided  over  it  I  went  to  one  or  two 
balls  which,  by  general  consent,  were  considered  to 
have  been  magnificent. 

Sweden's  representative  at  that  time  was  Baron 
Reuterskjold,  married  to  a  very  pleasant  woman,  who 
was  at  once  received  into  the  smartest  set.  The 
Netherlands  Legation  was  in  possession  of  Baron  van 
Stoetwegen,  a  man  of  great,  but  caustic,  wit,  whose 
conversation  was  most  entertaining  even  when  it 
touched  upon  trivial  subjects,  but  neither  tinged  with 
kindness  nor  with  indulgence.  I  liked  him  very  much, 
and  cared  for  his  wife  too,  who  made  a  most  amiable 
hostess.  The  couple  gave  excellent  dinners,  that  de- 
serve not  to  be  forgotten. 

There  were  other  personalities  among  the  diplomats 
accredited  at  that  time  at  the  St.  Petersburg  Court, 
whom  I  like  to  remember,  because  they  were  cultured 
and  entertaining  in  conversation.  Among  them  may 
be  mentioned  the  Councillor  of  the  Italian  Embassy, 
Count  Bottaro  Costa,  who  was  a  general  favourite ; 
Count  Vauvineux,  first  secretary  at  the  French  Embassy, 
an  entirely  charming  man  ;  and  the  German  Councillor, 
Baron  Tchirscky,  quite  recently  their  Ambassador  in 
Vienna.  His  wife  was  one  of  the  most  attractive  per- 
sons I  have  ever  met,  and  who,  living  in  a  very  pretty 

310 


Charm  of  St.  Petersburg 

apartment,  frequently  entertained    their    friends    in  a 
quiet  way. 

All  these  elements  put  together  constituted  a  charm- 
ing whole,  and  contributed  to  make  St.  Petersburg  an 
agreeable  place  to  live  in,  especially  when,  as  was  the 
case  with  me,  one  had  as  many  friends  among  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  as  among  local  society.  Dullness 
could  be  easily  avoided,  and  dull  people  equally  so. 
The  more  I  think  of  these  years  in  my  life,  the  more 
happy  I  feel  to  have  lived  them,  and  I  cling  to  their 
remembrance  as  reminding  me  of  something  very  nice, 
very  pleasant,  which  perhaps  one  would  not  care  to 
see  revived,  but  which  one  would  feel  sorry  indeed  not 
to  have  known. 


311 


CHAPTER  XI 

JOURNALISM    IN    RUSSIA 

WHEN  the  late  Emperor  Alexander  III.  ascended 
the  throne,  the  most  popular  daily  newspaper 
in  Russia  was  the  Golos,  the  controller  of  which  was  a 
man  of  infinite  tact  and  high  intelligence,  M.  Kraiev- 
ski,  who  was  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  state  of 
the  public  mind  as  well  as  the  process  of  evolution 
pubhc  thought  was  passing  through.  He  edited  his 
paper  in  the  most  liberal  spirit,  and  without  doubt 
its  opinions  had  supreme  weight  in  forming  and  direct- 
ing public  opinion  during  the  critical  transformation 
brought  about  in  the  moral  and  intellectual  standard 
of  the  nation  by  the  reforms  of  Alexander  II.,  and 
later  on  by  the  recrudescence  of  Nihilism  which  fol- 
lowed the  Turkish  war. 

M.  Kraievski  carried  on  the  editorship  of  his  paper 
together  with  his  son-in-law,  M.  Bilbassoff,  one  of  the 
most  eminent  historians  since  the  days  of  Karamzine, 
the  author  of  the  admirable  "  History  of  Catherine  II." 
Bilbassoff  was  not  in  the  good  graces  of  the  govern- 
ment on  account  of  his  advanced  political  opinions. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  men  modern 
Russia  had  produced.  I  used  to  see  him  sometimes 
at  the  house  of  my  good  friends,  the  Wischnegradskys, 
where  one  could   often  meet   him. 

312 


The  Censor  at  Work 

Every  time  I  had  the  opportunity  to  iiave  a  talk 
with  M.  Bilbassoff  I  seized  the  occasion  with  no  httle 
alacrity.  He  had  something  of  the  spirit  of  crit- 
icism which  I  had  had  occasion  to  notice  in  John 
Morley,  and  before  that  in  the  great  Ranke.  He  was 
inclined,  as  they  were,  to  seek  the  explanation  of  cer- 
tain facts  in  the  causes  from  which  they  had  evolved. 
His  history  of  the  great  Catherine  had  been  at  first  for- 
bidden by  the  censor.  This  caused  him  to  submit  the 
manuscript  to  Alexander  III.,  who  read  it  with  interest, 
and  after  having  done  so  authorised  its  publication. 

To  return  to  the  Golos  and  its  proprietor.  It  was 
so  widely  read  and  well  edited  that  the  best  writers 
of  the  day  were  proud  to  be  allowed  to  contribute, 
and  their  sharp  criticisms  were  feared  even  by  strong 
and  powerful  ministers.  It  held  its  own  against  the 
famous  Third  Section  whilst  the  latter  still  existed,  and 
entirely  led  public  opinion  up  and  down  the  country. 
When  Count  Dmitri  Tolstoy  became  Minister  of  the 
Interior  in  succession  to  Count  Ignatieff,  the  Golos  fell 
under  the  weight  of  his  displeasure.  It  was  suppressed, 
and  with  it  the  public  lost  a  paper  always  well  informed, 
always  independent,  and  which,  during  its  short  but 
eventful  career,  had  never  sold  its  birthright,  but  had 
fearlessly  gone  its  way,  defending  the  liberal  principles 
it  represented. 

After  the  suppression  of  the  Golos,  the  Novoie  Vremia 
began  to  shine,  though  not  without  difficulty,  in  the 
journalistic  sky  of  St.  Petersburg.  Its  owner,  Alexis 
Souvorine,  was  not  yet  well  known,  and  few  believed 
he  had  enough  talent  to  outrival  Kraievski  himself, 
who  up  to   then    had    been    considered    as    the   father 

313 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

of  modern  Russian  journalism.  Souvorine,  however, 
possessed  an  immense  intelligence,  and  knew  by  in- 
stinct what  the  public  required  at  certain  moments. 
In  that  he  differed  from  the  editor  of  the  Golos,  who 
wanted  to  lead  public  opinion.  He  understood  that 
if  he  wanted  to  become  popular  he  must  allow  public 
opinion  to  believe  it  led  him  and  his  paper,  and  that 
it  expressed  the  wishes  of  the  moment.  Therein  lay 
the  secret  of  his  success,  and  of  the  strength  which  the 
Novoie  Vremia  acquired  under  his  leadership.  Very 
soon  it  reached  an  assured  position,  and  it  has  kept 
it  to  this  day,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  at  present 
it  is  a  purely  official  and  governmental  organ,  which, 
in  justice  to  Souvorine,  it  must  be  said  it  never  was 
in  his  lifetime.  Souvorine  was  a  genius  in  his  way, 
and  no  journalist  has  mastered  better  than  he  did 
the  intricacies  inseparable  from  his  profession,  or 
has  known  better  how  to  guess  the  fluctuations  of  the 
mind  of  the  public  with  whom  he  had  to  deal.  Under 
his  management,  the  Novoie  Vremia  became  the  one 
indispensable  newspaper,  especially  to  those  deeply 
interested  in  public  affairs.  It  was  found  every- 
where, even  in  the  hands  of  people  utterly  opposed 
to  its  opinions.  Souvorine  has  been  accused  of  oppor- 
tunism. This  accusation  was  not  quite  unjust  in  regard 
to  the  direction  which  he  gave  to  his  organ,  but  it 
could  not  be  applied  to  his  personal  opinions.  These 
varied  but  seldom,  and  perhaps  less  than  they 
would  have  done  had  he  considered  with  more  atten- 
tion, and  less  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  proprietor 
of  a  journal,  the  history  of  his  country  during  the  event- 
ful  years   when    he   was   bombarding   abuses   needing 

314 


Journalistic  Realisations 

redress,  and  exposing  false  ideas  requiring  modification. 
In  the  Novoie  Vremia^  however,  he  held  that  he  ought 
to  watch  and  to  follow  the  transformations  of  the 
public  mind,  and  to  express  the  opinions  and  ideas 
of  its  readers. 

He  was  not  quite  wrong  in  this  if  one  takes  into 
consideration  that  his  principal  care  was  the  material 
prosperity  of  his  paper,  and  that  the  latter  could  only 
remain  assured  if  it  was  upheld  by  its  readers  and 
subscribers,  as  well  as  by  the  mass  of  general  opinion. 
No  one  in  Russia  had  realised  this  fact  before  him, 
and  each  unit  of  the  press,  especially  the  daily  papers, 
had  always  looked  upon  itself  as  the  apostle  of  the 
principles  professed  by  its  editors,  without  considering 
in  the  least  its  public. 

One  must  not  forget  that  at  the  time  I  am  writing 
Russian  experience  in  journalism  was  most  limited, 
and  perhaps  this  was  why  so  many  journalistic  ven- 
tures ended  disastrously.  Souvorine  realised  the  fact 
very  quickly,  and  managed  to  influence  his  collabor- 
ators so  as  to  induce  them  to  accept  it  too.  When  he 
died  some  two  years  ago,  the  Novoie  Vremia  had 
become  a  power  before  whom  the  whole  country 
bowed.  By  power  I  do  not  mean  influence ;  I  do 
not  think  the  Russian  Thunderer  wields  much  of  the 
latter  at  the  present  moment,  in  spite  of  its  enormous 
circulation  and  vast  resources. 

Personally,  Alexis  Souvorine  was  most  interesting. 
In  spite  of  his  immense  talents  he  had  known  dark 
days,  and  his  early  experiences  in  journalism  had  been 
most  difficult  and  painful.  He  had  never  forgotten  the 
fact,  which  imbued  him  with  an  immense  pity  for  the 

315 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

sufferings  of  others.  His  purse  was  always  open,  and 
he  liked  to  give  encouragement  to  those  starting  out 
on  the  path  of  life.  That  kind  old  man,  bent  with  the 
weight  of  his  years,  made  one  of  the  most  indulgent 
of  masters,  and  all  who  came  into  contact  with  him 
departed  with  a  feeling  of  deep  gratitude  and  respect 
for  this  father  of  modern  journalism  in  Russia. 

Souvorine's  house  was  a  meeting  place  for  the  best 
intellects  in  St.  Petersburg,  and  he  always  evinced  a 
superlative  interest  in  all  the  social  developments  of 
his  Fatherland,  as  well  as  in  its  political  influence 
in  Europe.  The  war  with  Japan  plunged  him  into  a 
deep  and  lasting  sorrow,  but  even  in  the  darkest  hours 
of  Russia's  national  existence  he  never  despaired,  and 
died  convinced  still  that  his  country  would  rise  more 
powerful  than  ever  from  the  disasters  that  had  be- 
fallen her. 

One  of  the  most  bitter  adversaries  of  Souvorine 
was  Prince  Mestchersky.  His  paper,  the  Grajdanine, 
represented  the  ultra-Conservative  party  in  Russia. 
Its  owner  was  the  personal  friend  of  the  Emperor 
Alexander  III.,  and  taking  into  consideration  that 
fact,  he  was  allowed  to  say  and  to  write  many  things 
that  no  one  else  would  have  ever  dared  to  proclaim. 
The  person  of  Prince  Mestchersky  has  been  passion- 
ately discussed.  It  is  not  my  place  to  judge  him,  but 
I  must  render  him  justice  and  say  that  even  in  his 
most  bitter  polemics  he  remained  a  gentleman.  He 
never  deserted  the  order  to  which  he  belonged,  nor 
the  flag  that  his  family  traditions  called  upon  him  to 
defend.  His  extreme  opinions  did  not  procure  him 
many  sympathies  ;    on  the  contrary,  he  made  a  con- 

316 


Tolstoy  and  TourgueniefF 

siderable  number  of  enemies,  but  he  never  changed, 
always  remaining  an  absolutely  sincere  Conservative. 
However  one  differed  from  him  in  opinions,  or  even 
believed  him  to  be  mischievous,  it  was  impossible  to 
refuse  him  respect  for  his  untarnished  reputation  as 
an  honourable  journalist. 

It  is  impossible  not  to  refer  to  Count  Leo  Tolstoy, 
partly  on  account  of  the  strange  moral  transformation 
which  turned  a  wonderful  novelist  into  the  apostle  of  a 
new  religion  that  no  one  but  himself  could  understand. 
Many  hoped  that  the  dying  words  of  Tourguenieff, 
when  from  his  bed  of  suffering  he  wrote  to  Tolstoy, 
"  Great  writer  of  our  Russian  fatherland,  go  back  to 
your  literary  work,"  would  be  listened  to.  But  in 
vain.  Indeed,  the  literary  world  was  beginning  vaguety 
to  grasp  the  fact  that  an  enormous  intellect  had  lost 
itself  in  the  mazes  of  a  labyrinth  out  of  which  it  was 
becoming  every  day  more  difficult  for  it  to  emerge. 
Already  the  lessons  preached  and  the  examples  given 
by  this  missionary  without  any  religion  save  that  of 
his  own  imagination,  had  begun  to  give  rise  to  con- 
troversy. It  is  impossible,  without  saying  much,  to 
do  more  than  express  the  feeling  that  this  man  with  a 
colossal  mind,  who  had  not  succeeded  in  discovering 
peace  for  his  own  thoughts,  had  exercised  an  exceed- 
ingly strong  influence  over  many  others  who,  without 
him,  would  perhaps  have  found  peace  and  happiness 
in  the  accomplishment  of  simple  duties  and  in  sub- 
mission to  the  will  of  God. 

During  the  whole  reign  of  Alexander  III.  the  press 
remained  confined  in  very  narrow  limits,  and  played 
scarcely  any  part  in  public  life.     There  was  little  to 

317 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

discuss  during  that  period  of  the  national  existence, 
which  was  rather  one  of  constant  work,  in  which  the 
Emperor  was  the  first  one  to  set  the  example.  His 
ambitions  were  centred  in  the  development  of  the  vast 
country  confided  to  his  care,  and  in  carving  a  path  of 
material  progress  that  was  bound  to  lead  his  beloved 
Russia  on  to  prosperity.  He  detested  journalists,  and 
he  partly  succeeded  in  suppressing  them  almost  entirely, 
owing  to  the  unbounded  confidence  which  his  person 
inspired.  By  no  means  did  he  wish  to  kill  every 
manifestation  of  human  thought,  as  he  has  been  so 
accused  ;  but  he  directed  it  toward  a  useful  channel 
instead  of  allowing  it  to  dissipate  in  vague  longings ; 
and  in  doing  so  he  rendered  one  of  his  greatest  services 
to  Russia. 

With  the  death  of  the  Emperor,  the  Japanese  war, 
and  all  the  developments  that  followed  upon  the 
events  of  1905  and  1906,  Russian  journalism  under- 
went a  complete  transformation.  It  is  now  fast  be- 
coming more  truly  representative  of  the  fourth  estate 
which  is  so  respected  in  the  rest  of  Europe.  News- 
papers begin  to  count  for  something  and  to  acquire 
a  certain  importance. 

But  much  as  I  should  like  to,  and  curious  as  this 
transformation  has  been,  I  cannot  speak  about  it 
with  the  authority  of  personal  experience,  for  the 
reason  that  I  was  not  living  in  Russia  when  these  events 
took  place.  In  Russia  the  press  of  to-day  exists  on 
a  footing  that  would  require  a  volume  to  make  intel- 
ligible to  the  foreigner. 


318 


CHAPTER    XII 

DEATH    OF   ALEXANDER   III 

ON  January  1st,  1894,  the  usual  New  Year's  recep- 
tion took  place  at  the  Winter  Palace.  The 
Emperor  seemed  to  be  as  well  as  ever,  and  showed 
himself  particularly  gracious  in  regard  to  the  foreign 
ministers  and  ambassadors,  who  came  to  present  their 
good  wishes  for  the  coming  year.  The  Empress 
was  radiant  with  beauty  and  grace,  as  she  smiled 
on  all  the  ladies  assembled  to  bring  her  their  greet- 
ings. The  season  began  in  a  brilliant  fashion,  and 
the  debutantes  in  particular  expected  much  from  it, 
because  the  eldest  daughter  of  their  Majesties,  the 
Grand  Duchess  Xenia,  was  to  go  out  into  society  for 
the  first  time  that  winter,  and  several  balls  in  her 
honour  were  already  announced.  The  first  large  re- 
ception at  the  Winter  Palace  was  fixed  for  January 
10th,  when  society  was  startled  by  hearing  that  the 
Emperor  had  fallen  dangerously  ill. 

I  heard  the  news  a  little  earher  than  did  the  general 
public,  through  General  Tcherevine,  who  spent  the 
evening  with  me  on  that  particular  day.  Neither  he 
nor  myself,  however,  suspected  the  gravity  of  the 
crisis  that  had  arisen,  nor  guessed  its  sad  issue. 

The  General  thought  that  the  indisposition  of 
the  Tsar  was  only  a   sharp  attack   of  influenza,   but 

319 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

nevertheless  he  seemed  to  be  shghtly  uneasy,  and  ex- 
pressed the  hope  that  it  would  not  leave  any  traces 
after  it.  But  he  admitted  that  the  great  drawback 
to  a  quick  convalescence  lay  in  the  fact  that  Alexander 
III.  would  not  follow  the  doctor's  prescriptions,  or 
give  up,  even  for  a  time,  the  incessant  activities  with 
which  his  days  and,  for  the  matter  of  that,  his  nights, 
were  occupied.  A  period  of  entire  rest  had  long  been 
enjoined  upon  him,  but  he  could  not  make  up  his  mind 
to  it  or  to  allow  himself  any  relaxation  from  the  con- 
tinual work  to  which  he  had  attached  himself  with 
a  devotion  and  a  self-abnegation  such  as  very  few 
monarchs  have  ever  evinced. 

So  persistent  a  strain  could  not  be  endured  for  ever, 
and  it  was  evident  that  under  such  conditions  any  ill- 
ness attacking  the  Emperor  was  bound  to  be  harder 
for  him  to  overcome  than  for  one  whose  strength  had 
not  been  overtaxed. 

When  the  first  bulletins  concerning  the  health  of 
the  Tsar  were  published,  the  pubhc  showed  far  more 
anxiety  than  could  have  been  supposed.  There  seemed 
at  that  time  to  be  no  real  reason  for  it ;  but  Alexander 
III.  was  popular  with  all  classes,  and  the  news  that  he 
lay  on  a  bed  of  sickness  moved  it  deeply,  and  proved 
to  him,  as  well  as  to  the  whole  world,  how  beloved  he 
was  by  his  subjects,  and  how  necessary  his  existence 
was  considered  to  be  for  their  prosperity,  as  well  as 
for  the  peace  of  Europe. 

Professor  Zakharine,  who  had  a  great  reputation  in 
Moscow  as  a  clever  doctor,  was  telegraphed  for,  and 
after  a  few  days  one  heard  the  danger  was  over.  The 
Emperor    made    such    quick    progress    that    the    first 

320 


Last  Days  of  the  Emperor 

Court  ball,  which  had  been  postponed,  was  after  all 
fixed  for  the  end  of  that  same  month  of  January,  be- 
cause the  Sovereign  felt  he  would  be  well  enough  to 
attend  it,  as  well  as  all  the  other  festivities  of  the 
season.  He  seemed  to  carry  himself  as  well  as  of  old, 
but  his  looks  showed  an  alarming  change.  Toward 
the  end  of  March,  just  before  starting  on  a  journey  to 
Italy,  I  happened  to  be  present  at  the  jubilee  of  the 
Hospital  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  the  Superior  of  which, 
Mile.  Abaza,  was  one  of  my  great  friends.  On  that 
occasion  I  saw  the  Emperor  nearer  than  I  had  done 
for  some  time.  The  change  that  had  taken  place  in 
his  appearance  struck  me  most  painfully.  Prince  John 
Galitzine,  who  was  in  attendance  on  the  Empress  on 
that  day,  asked  me  when  the  ceremony  was  over  to 
give  him  some  lunch,  and  as  I  drove  him  to  my  house 
in  my  carriage,  I  asked  him  what  he  thought  about 
the  health  of  our  beloved  Sovereign.  He  replied  that 
he  was  also  very  anxious  about  him,  but  that  the 
doctors  seemed  satisfied  and  did  not  appear  to  think 
that  anything  serious  was  the  matter,  indeed,  they  had 
only  advised  him  to  rest  more  and  work  less  than  he 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  doing. 

I  left  St.  Petersburg  a  few  days  after  this  conversa- 
tion to  spend  several  months  abroad.  It  was  whilst 
on  a  visit  to  some  friends  in  Scotland  that  I  heard  at 
last  that  the  days  of  Alexander  III.  were  numbered. 

What  follows  belongs  to  history.  It  does  not  enter 
within  the  limits  of  this  small  book  of  remembrances 
to  speak  about  those  days  otherwise  than  to  mention 
the  deep  regrets  that  were  felt  in  the  whole  of  Europe 
when  it  became   aware   that   the   Sovereign   who   had 

V  321 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

contrived  to  win  for  himself  such  profound  respect  and 
entire  confidence  from  all  the  nations  of  the  world 
was  about  to  die. 

The  consternation  which  prevailed  everywhere  was 
intense,  and  even  in  Germany,  where  the  Emperor  did 
not  possess  too  many  friends,  he  was  mourned  sin- 
cerely, because  everyone  knew  there,  as  everywhere 
else,  that  so  long  as  he  remained  at  the  head  of  his 
vast  Empire,  the  peace  of  Europe  ran  no  risk  of  being 
troubled  by  any  untoward  adventure. 

I  was  in  Berlin,  on  my  way  to  St.  Petersburg, 
when  the  end  came  and  Alexander  III.  breathed  his 
last.  Two  days  before  he  died  I  received  from  General 
Tcherevine,  who  was  at  Livadia,  a  wire  in  which  he 
said,  "  A  miracle  alone  can  save."  I  shall  never  for- 
get that  sad  November  day,  when  we  heard  that  all 
was  over.  The  whole  morning  had  passed  away  in 
anxious  expectation,  and  as  the  time  neared  six  I 
went  again  to  make  inquiries  at  the  Russian  Embassy, 
where  they  told  me  they  had  received  no  news.  A 
few  moments  later,  when  I  returned  to  the  hotel  where 
I  was  staying,  the  hall  porter  met  me  with  a  special 
edition  of  a  news  sheet  in  his  hand,  announcing  to  the 
world  that  the  reign  of  Alexander  III.  had  ended. 

Great  and  deep  was  the  general  grief  when  the  sad 
news  began  to  spread,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the  first 
prayers  for  the  dead  in  the  chapel  of  the  Russian 
Embassy  in  Berlin.  All  the  assistants  were  crying, 
and  the  voice  of  the  priest  trembled  as  he  invoked 
Divine  mercy  for  the  soul  of  the  deceased  monarch. 
A  few  days  later,  when  I  arrived  in  St.  Petersburg, 
the  body  of  the  Emperor  was  already  in  the  fortress, 

322 


Death  of  Alexander  III 

lying  in  state,  and  it  was  there  that  I  went  to  bid  a 
last  good-bye  to  him.  The  saddest  thoughts  came 
crowding  into  my  mind  as  I  looked  upon  the  changed 
face,  now  grown  so  yellow  and  so  small,  of  that  mighty 
monarch  one  had  loved  and  respected  so  well. 

It  was  more  than  painful  to  look  upon  the  Empress, 
bowed  down  by  her  terrible  grief.  The  sight  of  her 
desolate  face  and  figure,  half  hidden  under  the  heavy 
folds  of  her  long  crepe  veil,  was  pathetic  in  the  extreme. 
I  think  that  no  one  who  saw  her  during  those  terrible 
days  could  ever  forget  the  expression  of  immense  and 
hopeless  despair  that  dwelt  in  her  lovely  eyes,  full  of 
heartrending  sorrow  and  pouring  with  tears  as  she 
bent  over  the  coffin  of  her  Consort.  One  understood 
so  well  that  for  her,  as  well  as  for  the  husband  whom 
she  mourned,  everything  earthly  had  come  to  an  end 
sooner  than  could  have  been  thought  or  expected. 

When  Alexander  III.  had  breathed  his  last  the 
Heir  to  his  Throne  had  just  become  engaged  to  the 
lovely  and  accomplished  Princess  of  Hesse,  that  sweet 
Princess  Alix  about  whom  her  mother,  the  late  Grand 
Duchess  Alice,  used  to  write  such  endearing  tales  to 
Queen  Victoria.  She  had  hastened  to  Livadia  on 
hearing  that  the  illness  of  her  future  father-in-law  had 
assumed  such  a  threatening  turn,  and  before  dying  he 
had  the  joy  of  blessing  her  and  wishing  her  a  happy 
future  in  the  land  over  which  she  was  to  reign. 

During  these  sad  and  terrible  days  of  agony,  when 
doctors  were  fighting  against  the  dreaded  guest,  the 
Princess's  presence  was  eloquent  of  consolation,  both 
for  her  future  husband  and  for  his  mother,  the  sorrow- 
ing Empress.     Together  with  the  whole  Imperial  Family 

323 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

she  accompanied  the  body  of  the  deceased  monarch 
to  St.  Petersburg,  where  he  was  laid  to  rest,  near  his 
ancestors,  in  that  grim  fortress  of  St.  Peter  and  St. 
Paul. 

When  the  last  honours  had  been  paid  to  the  dead 
Sovereign  the  question  arose  as  to  whether  the  mar- 
riage of  his  successor  was  to  be  postponed  or  not.  The 
nuptials  of  the  heirs  of  the  Romanoff  dynasty  had 
always  been  the  occasion  of  sumptuous  festivities. 
This  time  it  was  an  Emperor  who  was  about  to  bring 
a  bride  to  the  home  of  his  race,  and  the  event  was  an 
unprecedented  one.  Under  ordinary  circumstances  it 
would  have  been  attended  with  grand  pomp,  and 
followed  by  a  whole  series  of  balls  and  receptions, 
outvying  themselves  in  splendour.  Now  the  Imperial 
Family  and  the  whole  of  Russia  were  weeping  for 
Alexander  III.,  and  the  very  word  festivity  seemed 
to  sound  like  an  insult  to  his  revered  memory.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  State  required  an  Empress  and  the 
dynasty  an  heir.  It  was  decided,  after  some  hesitation, 
to  pass  over  certain  obstacles  and  to  celebrate  the 
marriage  of  the  Emperor  immediately  after  the  funeral 
of  his  father,  but  to  do  so  as  quietly  as  the  circum- 
stances allo^ved.  The  bride  did  not  make  a  public 
entry  into  St.  Petersburg,  and  on  her  arrival  was 
driven  to  the  palace  of  her  sister,  the  Grand  Duchess 
Elizabeth  Feodorovna,  where  she  remained  until  the 
time  of  her  nuptials. 

How  well  I  remember  that  day  !  It  was  a  bleak 
November  morning,  but  not  entirely  devoid  of  sun- 
shine, as  is  generally  the  case  at  that  time  of  the  year 

324 


Marriage  of  Nicholas  11 

in  St.  Petersburg.  Nature  seemed  to  smile  upon  the 
young  couple  and  their  union  was  accompanied  by  the 
good  wishes  of  many  millions  of  people,  whose  thoughts 
were  that  day  centred  on  that  old  Palace  of  its  Emperors 
where  the  ceremony  was  to  take  place.  We  started 
early,  and  so  had  plenty  of  time  to  look  around  us 
and  to  seek  our  own  friends  in  those  immense  rooms 
filled  with  people  gathered  together  from  all  parts  of 
the  Empire  to  invoke  the  blessings  of  Heaven  on  the 
heads  of  their  youthful  Sovereign  and  his  lovely  bride. 

She  looked  beautiful  indeed  in  her  bridal  array, 
with  the  huge  diamond  crown,  which  all  the  Russian 
Princesses  wear  on  their  wedding  day,  resting  proudly 
on  her  head,  and  the  long  Imperial  mantle  of  gold  cloth 
and  ermine  carried  by  high  functionaries  behind  her. 
Her  countenance  was  perfect  in  its  mixture  of  maidenly 
modesty  and  loving  anxiety,  and  she  bore  herself 
indeed  with  queenly  dignity  and  womanly  grace. 
She  walked  hand-in-hand  with  the  Emperor  along 
the  long  halls  of  the  Winter  Palace  on  her  way  to  the 
church,  her  progress  being  punctuated  by  exclamations 
of  sincere  admiration  on  every  hand.  People  stood 
staring  with  an  eagerness  that  must  have  touched  her 
had  not  emotion  prevented  her  from  noticing  them  as 
they  strained  their  necks  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  their 
Empress. 

Behind  her  walked  the  Empress  Dowager,  leaning 
on  the  arm  of  her  aged  father,  the  King  of  Denmark. 
She  was  dressed  in  pure  white  cashmere,  trimmed 
with  white  crepe,  without  a  single  jewel  to  relieve 
it.  It  was  seen,  too,  that  she  was  vainly  trying  to 
restrain  her  tears.     That  day  must  have  been  terribly 

325 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

painful  for  her,  with  all  the  remembrances  that  it 
could  not  fail  to  evoke ;  but  she  bore  herself  bravely, 
and  did  not  once  break  down  during  the  long  ceremony 
that  gave  her  another  daughter  to  love  and  care  for. 
Deep  sympathy  for  her  was  expressed  everywhere; 
and  those  who  had  seen  her  at  other  times  in  all  the 
splendour  inseparable  from  her  high  position,  and  who 
knew  her  as  a  happy  wife  and  happy  mother,  could 
not  help  expressions  of  intense  pity  escaping  their 
lips   when   they  beheld  her  lonely  and  sad  figure. 

The  religious  ceremony  lasted  for  over  an  hour, 
during  which  the  bride  contrived  to  remain  calm  in 
spite  of  the  emotion  that  must  at  times  have  over- 
powered her  in  the  solemn  moments  when  she  was 
accepting  the  difficult  position  that  was  henceforward 
to  be  hers,  and  which  she  was  to  grace  so  well  in  the 
years  that  followed.  She  performed  to  perfection  all 
the  ceremonies  prescribed  by  the  rites  of  the  Orthodox 
Church,  only  her  pale  cheeks  lighted  up  with  a  sudden 
fire  that  made  her  appear  even  more  beautiful  than 
she  was,  as,  after  the  wedding,  the  Emperor  led  her 
back  through  the  vast  and  lofty  rooms  to  the  private 
apartments  of  the  Winter  Palace,  Empress  of  his 
heart  as  well  as  of  his  Empire. 

The  marriage  of  the  Emperor  was  certainly  a  popular 
one,  and  his  Consort  was  received  not  only  with  en- 
thusiasm, but  also  with  affection  by  the  whole  Russian 
people.  They  felt  grateful  to  her  for  bringing  joy 
and  happiness  into  the  life  of  their  monarch.  When, 
after  the  marriage  ceremony,  the  young  couple  drove 
in  state  to  the  Kazan  Cathedral,  the  Empress  still 
dressed    in    her    bridal    robes,    immense    acclamations 

326 


A  Nation  at  One 

from  the  crowd  greeted  them,  and  followed  them  on 
to  the  small  Anitchkov  Palace,  where  they  were  to 
reside  with  the  Empress  Dowager  until  their  own 
apartments  would  be  ready  to  receive  them,  and  in 
those  shouts  of  welcome  not  one  false  note  could  be 
heard.  The  nation,  after  having  mourned  for  its 
dead  Emperor,  wished  a  long  and  happy  life  to  the 
new  ruler  and  to  his  lovely  bride,  as  she  stood  before 
it,  fair  as  the  morn,  beautiful  as  a  southern  night. 


327 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE    CORONATION    OF    NICHOLAS    II 

A  QUIET  and  uneventful  year  went  by,  and  we 
found  ourselves  on  the  eve  of  another  coronation. 
We  arrived  at  INIoscow  about  ten  days  before  the  cere- 
mony, and  were  immediately  plunged  into  a  sea  of 
gaiety.  The  ancient  capital  was  a  curious  place  at 
that  time.  The  number  of  strangers,  guests  from 
every  part  of  the  world,  was  enormous,  and  one  had 
the  opportunity  of  meeting  most  of  the  European 
celebrities   of  the   time. 

England  was  represented  by  the  Duke  and  Duchess 
of  Connaught,  and  the  dignity,  grace,  and  politeness 
of  the  latter  captured  all  hearts.  Austria  was  to 
send  the  Archduke  Victor  Louis,  but  just  as  he  was 
about  to  start  the  elder  brother  of  Francis  Joseph, 
heir  to  his  throne  and  crown,  died  suddenly,  and 
everything  was  changed,  down  to  the  ball  which  the 
Austrian  Ambassador,  Prince  Liechtenstein,  was  to  give 
in  honour  of  our  Sovereigns.  Though  another  Arch- 
duke, Eugen,  arrived  in  time  for  the  Coronation  cere- 
mony, he  only  remained  for  that  one  day.  Prince 
Henry  of  Prussia,  whose  wife  was  the  sister  of  the 
Empress  Alexandra  Feodorovna,  came  on  behalf  of 
William  II.  ;  Italy  was  represented  by  the  Duke  of 
Genoa,  and  the  French  Republic  sent  a  special  mission 

328 


Nicholas  II.  at  Moscow 

with  General  Boisdeffre  at  its  head.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  mention  the  names  of  all  those  whom  the 
quaint  spectacle  that  Moscow  was  about  to  provide 
had  drawn  within  its  walls.  I  must,  however,  mention 
Lord  and  Lady  Iveagh,  both  charming,  pleasant, 
and  amiable,  who  seemed  to  enjoy  the  pageant  with 
their  whole  hearts. 

The  first  act  in  the  spectacle  was  provided  by  the 
State  entry  of  the  Emperor  and  Empress,  which  con- 
stituted quite  a  unique  affair  by  the  luxury  and  mag- 
nificence that  accompanied  it.  I  do  not  think  that 
any  other  Court  in  Europe  can  boast  of  such  State 
carriages  as  the  Russian,  and  the  sight  was  truly 
marvellous  as  one  after  the  other  they  passed  before 
our  eyes.  First  came  the  two  Empresses  :  Marie 
Feodorovna,  in  a  gilded  coach  surmounted  by  the 
Imperial  Crown,  and  Alexandra  Feodorovna,  in  another, 
without  a  crown  on  its  top.  The  Tsar  himself  rode 
on  horseback  a  little  in  front.  He  was  followed  by 
a  brilliant  retinue,  as  well  as  all  the  members  of  his 
own  family  and  the  foreign  Princes  who  had  arrived 
in  Moscow  to  see  him  assume  the  Crown  of  the  Roman- 
offs. The  procession  was  imposing  in  the  extreme, 
and  what  perhaps  was  the  most  striking  incident,  as 
it  slowly  passed  through  the  streets  of  old  Moscow, 
was  when  it  stopped  before  the  little  chapel  of  the 
Iverski  Madonna,  the  patron  of  the  city.  Here  the 
Emperor  got  down  from  his  horse,  and  the  two  Empresses 
alighted  from  their  carriages ;  they  all  knelt  down 
before  the  shrine,  invoking  its  protection  on  their  heads. 

The  Kremlin  was  bright  with  bunting  and  flags  and 
garlands  of  flowers,  hanging  in  festoons  on  its  ancient 

329 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

walls  and  ramparts.  Slowly  through  the  Gates  of  the 
Saviour  the  long  line  of  soldiers,  courtiers,  high  officers 
of  State,  chamberlains  in  their  gold  embroidered 
uniforms,  passed,  and  stopped  on  the  huge  inner 
square,  where  the  Tsar  of  All  the  Russias  alighted, 
and  before  entering  the  precincts  of  the  Palace,  directed 
his  steps  toward  the  sacred  cathedrals  that  make  this 
spot  such  a  memorable  one  in  the  history  of  old  Russia. 
At  that  moment  guns  were  fired,  and  all  the  bells  of 
the  many  churches  began  to  ring  joyously.  Indeed 
it  was  a  spectacle  which  would  remain  engraved  on 
the  memory  of  those  who  had  witnessed  it  for  ever 
and  ever. 

And  what  can  I  say  about  the  Coronation  itself  ? 
Here,  again,  the  one  scene  was  unique  to  Russia.  The 
sight  of  the  inner  courtyard  of  the  Kremlin,  with 
stands  for  the  spectators  erected  around  it,  its  pave- 
ment covered  with  scarlet  cloth,  and  the  three  cathe- 
drals rising  solemn  and  beautiful  in  their  simple  lines, 
and  in  the  centre  the  palace  with  its  gigantic  staircase 
by  which  the  Emperor  and  his  Consort  were  to  descend 
on  their  way  to  the  Church  of  the  Assumption,  was 
truly  wonderful.  On  each  step  of  that  staircase  was 
standing  a  cuirassier  in  his  white  uniform  and  gold 
helmet  surmounted  by  the  Russian  eagle,  and  a  Cossack 
of  the  escort  in  a  scarlet  tunic,  that  added  a  note  of 
gravity  to  the  scene.  Priests  in  their  embroidered 
vestments  appeared  now  and  then  crossing  the  vast 
square,  and  at  last  a  procession  of  the  clergy  sprinkled 
holy  water  on  the  path  which  Nicholas  II.  and  his 
Consort  were  to  traverse. 

A  few  moments  of  silence  followed —silence  tense 

330 


The  Scene  in  the  Kremlin 

with  nervous  expectation  ;  and  from  the  top  of  the 
great  staircase  appeared  a  long  row  of  chamberlains 
and  Court  personages,  preceding  the  Dowager  Empress. 
She  was  clothed  in  cloth  of  silver,  with  the  Imperial 
Crown  of  diamonds  rising  high  upon  her  lovely  little 
head.  From  her  shoulders  huncj  the  insignia  of  her 
dignity,  a  long  mantle,  supported  by  chamberlains 
and  pages.  This  magnificent  robe  was  all  gold ;  it  had 
the  Russian  eagle  embroidered  on  the  back,  and  it  was 
lined  with  ermine.  Marie  Feodorovna  paused  for 
a  few  moments  when  she  reached  the  first  step  of 
the  stairs,  and  bowed  to  the  crowd  and  spectators 
massed  in  the  square  and  the  stands  with  that 
inimitable  grace  so  inseparable  from  her  personality. 
Then  she  descended  slowly,  and  found  at  the  bottom  of 
the  steps  a  canopy  of  scarlet  silk  with  high  ostrich 
plumes  on  its  top  awaiting  her.  It  was  carried  by 
generals  and  officers  of  high  rank,  and  it  was  under 
its  shade  that  the  Empress  crossed  the  square  to  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,  on  the  threshold  of  which 
awaited  her  the  Metropolitan  of  Moscow.  He  escorted 
her  inside  the  church,  where  she  took  her  place  on 
a  dais  that  had  been  prepared  for  her  opposite  the 
one  which  her  son  with  his  young  wife  was  to  occupy. 
She  carried  herself  with  a  dignity  that  deeply  im- 
pressed every  spectator,  and  in  silence  she  remained 
sitting,  immovable  and  beautiful,  until  the  clamours  out- 
side announced  to  her  that  the  Emperor  was,  in  his  turn, 
crossing  the  square  on  his  way  to  the  Cathedral. 

It  was  a  most  impressive  sight  when  the  Tsar's 
procession  slowly  unrolled  itself  before  the  dazzled  eyes 
of  the  spectators.     He  walked  hand  in  hand  with  his 

331 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

lovely  Consort,  whose  pale,  cameo-like  features  appeared 
even  more  beautiful  than  usual  in  the  clear  light  of 
the  morning  sun.  She  was  dressed  in  a  robe  of  silver 
cloth,  simpler  than  that  worn  by  Marie  Feodorovna, 
and  had  no  ornament  whatever  in  her  fair  hair,  which 
hung  in  long  curls  down  her  shoulders.  The  Emperor 
was  also  bare-headed,  in  the  uniform  of  his  Preobraj en- 
sky  regiment,  with  the  broad  blue  sash  of  the  order  of 
St.  Andrew  across  his  breast.  He  was  leading  the 
Empress  with  infinite  care ;  both  of  them  stepped 
under  a  canopy  similar  to  the  one  beneath  which 
Marie  Feodorovna  had  walked,  and  slowly  wended 
their  steps  toward  the  Cathedral,  where  priests  and 
bishops,  with  the  three  Metropolitans  of  Moscow,  St. 
Petersburg,  and  Kiev,  were  standing  at  the  entrance 
awaiting  them.  And  soon  the  gates  closed  behind 
them  as,  in  their  turn,  they  entered  the  old  shrine 
in  which  so  many  Tsars  had  received  the  crown  of 
Empire. 

The  ceremony  went  on  with  the  usual  pomp  and 
splendour  inseparable  from  such  pageants.  About  two 
hours  later  the  big  bell  of  Ivan  Veliki  started  a  joyous 
peal,  to  which  replied  the  bells  of  the  three  hundred 
churches  and  monasteries  of  Moscow,  and  the  deep 
voice  of  the  guns  as  they  fired  their  salute.  Thus 
was  the  whole  of  Russia  told  that  its  Emperor  had 
assumed  the  crown  of  his  ancestors. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  moments  the  gates  of  the 
Cathedral  were  thrown  open  once  more,  and  the 
Empress  Dowager  came  out,  returning  to  the  Palace 
with  the  same  regal  state  as  attended  her  earlier  in 
the  day.     About  five  minutes  later  came  the  Emperor, 

332 


The  Tsar  is  Crowned 

walking  alone  under  the  canopy  with  white  ostrich 
plumes.  He  had  the  crown  on  his  head,  the  Imperial 
mantle  on  his  shoulders,  the  sceptre  in  his  right  hand, 
and  the  orb  in  the  left.  Behind  him,  also  alone, 
walked  the  young  Empress,  attired  in  her  Imperial 
robes  for  the  first  time.  The  crowned  Tsar  of  All  the 
Russias  presented  himself  before  his  subjects  with 
all  the  attributes  of  his  high  position,  as  their  legitimate 
Sovereign  and  Master.  He  made  the  tour  of  all  the 
churches  and  shrines  of  the  Kremlin,  and  then  mounted 
again  the  steps  of  the  Red  Staircase,  where,  together 
with  his  Consort,  he  saluted  the  spectators  from  the 
top.  He  did  so  three  times  in  succession,  to  the  accom- 
paniment of  hurrahs  so  loud  that  they  almost  drowned 
the  deep  voice  of  the  guns  and  the  joyful  clashing  of 
bells.  Moscov/  rejoiced,  and  Russia  rejoiced  with  it 
to  know  that  its  Tsar  had  been  crowned. 

Festivity  upon  festivity  followed  each  other  in  quick 
succession  after  the  ceremony,  and  for  days  one  lived 
in  a  whirl  of  gaiety,  with  scarcely  time  to  think,  until 
the  horrors  of  the  catastrophe  of  the  Khodinka  Field 
overwhelmed  the  rejoicing  with  a  flood  of  tragedy. 

A  great  deal  has  been  written  concerning  this  awful 
accident,  the  gruesome  details  of  which  did  not  reach 
the  Sovereign  until  much  later.  It  was  heartrending 
in  its  magnitude,  but  it  was  later  on  exploited  by  the 
enemies  of  the  throne  in  a  most  unwarrantable  manner, 
and  made  use  of  by  unscrupulous  people. 

It  is  not  my  place  to  write  anything  concerning  it. 
But  I  cannot  help  giving  here  the  judgment  of  a  states- 
man of  vast  experience,  Count  Constantine  Pahlen, 
formerly  Minister  of  Justice  under  Alexander  II.     He 

S33 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

is  now  dead,  but  in  his  lifetime  he  was  a  man  of  un- 
sullied honour,  high  moral  standing,  and  reputation 
above  reproach.  He  had  been  appointed  by  the 
Emperor  himself  head  of  a  commission  of  inquiry  into 
this  disaster,  which  so  completely  spoilt  the  Coronation 
festivities.  Count  Pahlen,  who  only  accepted  office 
after  much  hesitation,  had  a  great  friend  in  the  person 
of  M.  von  Schwanebach,  later  a  Cabinet  Minister.  M. 
von  Schwanebach  was  also  a  great  friend  of  mine,  and 
this  is  what  he  wrote  to  me  during  the  course  of  the 
summer  of  1896  : 

"  I  have  seen  Count  Pahlen  several  times.  He  is 
spending  the  summer  at  Peterhof,  and  told  me  that 
he  was  immensely  pleased  at  the  extremely  conscienti- 
ous manner  in  which  all  this  sad  Khodinka  affair  had 
been  personally  examined  by  the  Sovereign,  and  of 
the  serious  tone,  as  well  as  the  extreme  modesty  of 
the  young  monarch,  who  is  not  only  anxious  to  be 
well  advised,  but  also  earnestly  wishing  to  do  what 
is  right,  and  to  profit  through  the  experience  of  others 
older  than  himself." 

This  is  the  opinion  of  an  honest  man,  told  in  con- 
fidence to  another  of  like  honour,  and  it  may  prove 
of  use  to  refute  certain  calumnies  that  have  been  put 
into  circulation  by  badly-intentioned  people. 


334 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  BELL  OF  NYROB  :  A  RUSSIAN  LEGEND 

AS  I  am  writing  about  the  Coronation  of  Nicholas 
-^"^  II.  I  am  reminded  of  a  pretty  legend  which 
tells  of  a  superstition  connected  with  the  Romanoffs. 
I  heard  it  one  autumn  while  staying  at  the  country 
house  of  one  of  my  friends  in  the  centre  of  Russia. 

After  dinner,  rather  tired  and  sleepy,  we  sat  with 
my  host  and  one  or  two  guests  in  a  cosy  room,  with 
our  feet  on  the  fender,  near  a  roaring  fire.  It  was 
raining,  and  the  wind  from  the  steppes  howled 
dismally  among  the  trees  of  the  shady  park.  It  was 
a  night  for  ghosts,  as  someone  remarked,  and  we 
forthwith  asked  the  master  of  the  house  whether  or 
not  his  castle  was  haunted,  as  so  many  Russian  country 
places  are.  Our  host  smiled  and  replied  that  we  were 
quite  safe,  as  he  had  never  heard  that  an  inhabitant 
of  the  other  world  had  ever  honoured  his  comfortable 
home. 

"  But,"  he  added,  "  I  have  been  in  places  where 
supernatural  things  happen,  and  so  I  cannot  treat 
the  subject  with  utter  disbelief,  as  I  suppose  all  of 
you  do." 

"  No,  not  all,"  replied  one  of  the  guests ;  "  we 
would  not  be  Russians  if  we  did  not  at  times  admit 
the  existence  of  superstitions  and  legends,  transmitted 

335 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

from  father  to  son.  But  once,  you  say,  you  have  wit- 
nessed supernatural  things.  Won't  you  relate  to  us 
your  personal  experiences  in  the  matter  ?  I  am  sure 
we  should  be  delighted  to  hear  about  them,"  and  he 
turned  toward  us  as  he  spoke. 

We  all  acquiesced,  and  after  some  hesitation  our 
host  lighted  a  cigar,  and,  getting  nearer  the  fire,  he 
at  last  began  his  story,  which  I  here  reproduce  exactly 
as  he  told  it  to  us : 

"  A  few  years  ago,  I  happened  to  be  travelling  in 
the  government  of  Perm,  having  been  sent  there  on 
a  mission  by  the  directors  of  my  company  to  report 
on  the  conditions  of  a  mine  in  which  they  were  inter- 
ested. 

"  There  exists  no  railway  in  that  part  of  the  world, 
and  I  was  travelling  in  a  tarantass  (Russian  travelling 
cart)  with  post-horses.  The  roads  were  abominable, 
like  all  roads  are  in  Russia  in  spring  and  in  autumn, 
and  it  was  then  the  beginning  of  May.  When  I  reached 
a  little  village  called  Nyrob,  the  inhuman  sort  of  cart 
in  which  I  was  being  tortured  broke  down,  and  I  had 
perforce  to  stop  there  until  it  was  repaired,  which 
I  was  told  could  not  be  until  the  next  day.  I  was 
wondering  where  I  could  stay  during  these  twenty-four 
hours,  as  the  place  could  boast  of  no  inn  or  post-house 
where  a  traveller  could  rest.  Whilst  I  was  meditating 
on  what  I  could  do,  the  village  priest  happened  to  pass, 
and  upon  hearing  of  the  plight  I  was  in,  he  offered 
me  the  hospitality  of  his  house,  which  I  was  delighted 
to  accept,  and  whither  I  hastened  to  accompany  him. 

"  Father  Paul  was  a  venerable  old  man,  with  flow- 
ing beard  and  hair,  and  decidedly  more  learned  than 

336 


Father  Paul's   Hospitality 

the  average  parish  priest  in  such  out-of-the-way  places. 
I  found  him  a  pleasant  and  agreeable  companion,  and 
the  afternoon  passed  more  quickly  than  I  would  have 
expected.  He  offered  me  some  tea  and  a  simple  dinner, 
which  his  wife  brought,  serving  us  with  alacrity, 
but  not  sitting  down  with  us,  though  I  asked  her 
repeatedly  to  do  so.  The  meal  was  scarcely  over 
when  one  came  to  fetch  Father  Paul  to  a  sick  parish- 
ioner, and  I  was  left  to  my  own  devices.  The  evening 
was  mild  and  clear,  and  I  thought  I  would  go  for  a 
walk  and  explore  the  place  where  my  bad  luck  had 
wrecked  me. 

"  Nyrob  is  a  large  village,  with  one  street  in  the 
middle,  not  different  from  others  in  Russia,  and  offer- 
ing nothing  picturesque  or  beautiful  to  the  onlooker. 
There  was  a  church,  wooden,  like  the  rest  of  the  build- 
ings, and  a  few  trees  were  planted  around  it ;  but 
the  place  was  monotonous  in  the  extreme,  and  had 
nothing  attractive  about  it.  After  having  explored 
the  village,  I  turned  my  steps  toward  a  small  wood 
on  a  hill  which  dominated  the  place.  The  trees  were 
just  beginning  to  bud  ;  lilies  of  the  valley  were  to  be 
seen  everywhere,  and  the  contrast  of  Nature  full  of 
life  and  joy  with  the  gloom  of  the  houses  standing 
lower  down,  whose  grey  roofs  seemed  so  dreary  beside 
the  loveliness  of  the  bushes  and  flowers,  appealed  to 
my  senses  so  strongly  that  the  memory  of  it  still  lives 
in  my  soul  whenever  I  remember  that  spring  day. 

"  As  night  was  falling,  I  thought  it  was  time  to 
return,  and  started  homewards.  Somehow,  I  missed 
my  way,  and  found  myself  near  a  small  chapel,  which 
I   had    not   noticed   while   climbing  up   to   the   wood, 

w  337 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

where  I  had  stayed  so  long.  It  was  dark,  so  I  did 
not  stop  to  examine  this  chapel,  and  passed  on.  Sud- 
denly I  heard  the  sound  of  a  bell,  which  startled  me 
so  much  that  I  stopped  still,  and  scanned  the  country 
around  me  to  try  and  find  out  whence  it  came. 

"  I  saw  nothing,  but  the  sound  continued  and  be- 
came clearer  and  clearer,  until  it  rang  as  if  it  had  been 
quite  close  to  me.  It  was  a  weird  and  uncanny  sound, 
soft  and  harmonious,  however,  but  resembling  nothing 
that  I  had  ever  heard  before.  It  seemed  to  proceed 
from  a  small  hand-bell,  and  tinkled  quite  softly  but 
distinctly;  and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  appeared 
to  proceed  from  under  my  feet,  and  somehow  created 
a  most  unpleasant  impression  on  my  nerves.  I  hast- 
ened my  steps,  but  the  sound  pursued  me  and  left  me 
no  rest.  I  am  not  a  coward,  but  I  assure  you  that 
when  I  saw  an  old  peasant  coming  toward  me,  I  felt 
intensely  relieved.  I  was  about  to  accost  him,  when 
he  suddenly  crossed  himself  several  times  and  turned 
back  in  a  hurry.  I  started  in  pursuit  of  him,  and  after 
having  caught  him,  asked  him  the  reason  why  he 
had  fled  when  he  had  seen  me. 

"  '  I  did  not  fly  from  you,  Barine  ;  I  fled  from 
the  sound  of  the  Romanoff  bell,'  was  the  old  man's 
unexpected  reply. 

"  I  asked  for  an  explanation,  but  could  obtain 
none,  as  the  only  answer  which  I  got  to  my  numerous 
questions  was  repeated  signs  of  the  cross,  and  the 
same  words,  '  It  is  the  Romanoff  bell.' 

"  When  I  reached  the  presbytery  I  found  that 
Father  Paul  and  a  supper  were  awaiting  me,  and 
after  my  first  hunger  was  appeased  I  asked  the  priest 

338 


Tsar  Boris  Godounoff 

what  was  the  meaning  of  the  sound  of  the  Romanoff 
bell.  To  my  intense  surprise  Father  Paul's  face  got 
very  stern,  and  he  started  also  to  cross  himself  rever- 
ently several  times.  At  last,  noticing  my  astonish- 
ment, he  asked  me  to  shut  the  door  quite  tightly,  and 
related  to  me  the  legend  of  the  Romanoff  bell. 

"  '  In  1601,'  he  said,  '  Tsar  Boris  Godounoff  was 
ruling  in  Russia.  He  had  no  right  to  occupy  the 
throne,  as  there  were  still  descendants  of  Rurik  who 
had  every  right  to  become  Tsars.  Godounoff,  who 
had  killed  the  youngest  son  of  Ivan  the  Terrible, 
the  youth  Dmitry,  determined  to  destroy  the  Roman- 
offs, that  mighty  family  so  closely  allied  to  the 
reigning  house,  and  whose  rights  to  the  diadem  of 
Monomaque  no  one  in  Russia  disputed.  Fedor  Ni- 
kitisch  Romanoff  was  compelled  to  become  a  monk, 
whilst  his  wife  also  was  forced  to  enter  a  religious 
house,  where,  however,  she  succeeded  in  taking  with 
her,  and  hiding  from  the  vengeance  of  Godounoff,  her 
only  son  Michael,  who  was  later  on  to  be  chosen  as 
Tsar  by  the  Sobor.  Fedor  Nikitisch  had  two  brothers : 
Alexander,  who  was  murdered  by  the  servants  of 
Godounoff,  and  Michael  Nikitisch,  the  handsomest  man 
in  Russia.  The  last-mentioned  was  popular  among 
the  people,  and  could  easily  have  overthrown  the  usurper 
had  he  cared  to  do  so.  The  Tsar  was  cunning  and 
cruel ;  he  contrived  to  win  over  to  his  side  the  mis- 
tress of  Michael  Nikitisch,  and  one  night  she  opened 
the  door  to  the  soldiers  of  Godounoff,  who  seized 
Romanoff,  bound  him,  and,  after  having  loaded  him 
with  chains,  put  him  on  a  cart,  and,  acting  on  the  orders 
of  the  Tsar,  took  him  to  this  village  of  Nyrob. 

339 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

"  '  The  road  was  long,  the  prisoner  was  treated  with 
the  utmost  cruelty  by  his  guards  and  left  without  food 
or  proper  clothing,  and  this  in  the  depth  of  winter. 
At  last  Nyrob  was  reached  ;  and  when  they  got  there 
Michael  Nikitisch  was  allowed  to  get  out  of  the  covered 
sledge  in  which  he  had  been  confined,  and  two  soldiers 
held  him,  whilst  some  peasants  were  called  by  the 
servants  of  Godounoff,  and  ordered  to  dig  a  large 
hole  in  the  frozen  ground.  The  work  lasted  a  long 
time,  under  the  eyes  of  the  victim,  who  was  beginning 
to  realise  the  terrible  fate  that  awaited  him.  When 
at  last  it  was  finished,  Michael  Nikitisch,  always  loaded 
with  heavy  chains,  which  still  hang  in  the  little  chapel 
you  passed  to-night,  was  thrown  into  that  hole,  which 
was  covered  with  planks  through  which  air,  but  hardly 
any  light,  could  pass,  and  left  there  for  ever.  Guards 
were  put  near  the  hole  where  the  miserable  man  was 
to  end  his  existence,  with  orders  to  allow  no  one  to 
go  near,  and  Godounoff' s  servants  returned  to  their 
master  to  tell  him  that  his  orders  had  been  executed, 
and  the  victim  of  his  vengeance  buried  alive  in  the 
solitudes  of  Siberia. 

"  '  Three  years  passed,  and  the  robust  constitution 
of  Michael  Nikitisch  did  not  give  way.  He  could  not 
die.  At  last  his  murderers  got  weary,  and  decided  to 
leave  him  to  perish  from  hunger,  and  warned  the 
villagers  that  anyone  who  gave  him  food  would  be 
under  penalty  of  death.  The  terrible  sentence  was 
executed,  and  for  long  days  and  nights  one  could  hear 
the  pleading  of  the  miserable  man  imploring  the 
passers-by  to  throw  him  a  piece  of  bread.  Children 
used  to  run  away  from  the  spot  where  he  was  confined 

340 


A  Fateful   Prophecy 

in  terror,  and  no  one  dared  go  near  it.  But  still  the 
unfortunate  victim  remained  alive.  At  last  an  old 
woman,  who  passed  for  a  witch,  had  the  courage 
to  approach  the  hole  where  Romanoff  was  slowly 
expiring.  She  murmured  some  strange  words  as  she 
did  so,  and  immediately  upon  hearing  them  the  guards 
who  held  watch  over  that  grave  fell  into  a  deep  sleep. 
Then  the  woman  crawled  to  the  hole  and  asked  the 
dying  man  what  she  could  do  for  him.  "  Kill  me," 
was  the  reply.  "  I  need  not  do  that,"  retorted  the 
woman  ;  "  your  hour  has  struck  already,  and  a  few 
moments  will  see  you  released  ;  but  you  deserve  a 
reward  for  your  sufferings.  Take  this  bell,"  and  she 
threw  him  a  small  silver  bell,  "  and  in  joy  and  sorrow, 
so  long  as  your  race  will  occupy  the  Throne  of  Russia, 
it  shall  ring,  and  will  tell  the  world  that  your  martyr- 
dom has  won  a  crown  for  those  of  your  blood  and 
name." 

"  '  And,'  added  Father  Paul,  '  since  that  day  the 
Romanoff  bell,  as  it  is  called,  has  rung  every  evening, 
and,  let  us  hope,  will  go  on  ringing  for  years  to  come. 
Michael    Nikitisch's    martyrdom    was    not    suffered    in 


vain.'  " 


A  deep  hush  fell  upon  us  as  our  host  concluded. 
We  all  remained  silent  after  hearing  his  strange  story, 
and  no  one  ventured  to  ridicule  it.  The  fire  was 
slowly  dying  away  on  the  hearth,  and  in  its  dying 
embers  the  ghosts  of  a  terrible  past  seemed  to  appear 
and  linger  around  us.  No  one  seemed  inclined  to  get 
up,  or  to  say  anything  to  divert  the  mind  from  the 
tragedy  to  which  we  had  listened.  At  last  our  host 
broke  the  painful  silence  that  had  followed  his  narra- 

341 


Memories  of  Forty  Years 

tion  :    "  Let  us  go  to  bed,"  he  said  ;    "  the  silvery  bell 
doesn't  ring  for  us  poor  mortals." 

I  often  think  of  the  legend  of  the  bell  of  Nyrob, 
and  as  I  do  so  the  whole  story  of  that  proud 
Romanoff  race  comes  back  to  my  mind,  with  its 
attendant  horrors  and  glories,  and  the  sound  of  that 
distant  silvery  bell  ringing  everlastingly  in  the  Siberian 
solitude  where  the  martyrdom  of  one  of  its  chiefs  had 
won  it  a  throne,  resounds  clearly  in  my  ears  and  haunts 
my  thoughts. 


342 


INDEX 


Abaza,  Mile.,  321 

Abercorn,  Duchess  of,  description  of,  38 
Aid6,  Hamilton,  description  of,  23 
AksakofT,  Madame,  288 
Albert,  Prince,  designs  decorations  of 
Buckingham  Palace,  12 

influence  over  Frederick  III.,  93 

respect    for    constitutional    govern- 
ment, 93 

delicate  position  of,  191 

as  father,  191 

German  sympathies,  191 
Albert    of    Prussia,    Prince,    marriage, 
divorce,    re-marriage,    and    death 
of,  103 
Albert    of     Saxe-Altenbourg,     Prince, 

marriage  of,  103 
Alexander  I.,  Emperor,  286 
Alexander  II.,  Emperor,  295 

tragic  death  of,  220 

murder  of,  260 

second  marriage,  303 

and  von  Werder,  303 

reforms,  312 
Alexander  III.,  Emperor,  292,  313,  329 

deathof,  184,  223,  319 

marriage  of,  219 

description  of,  221 

and  Bismarck,  222 

and  French  Alliance,  222 

home  life,  224 

ascends  throne,  228 

some  ministers,  237 

rectitude,  238 

improves  Russian  finances,  240 

protects  landowners,  245 

kindness  of,  249 

personal  friends,  249 


Alexander  III.,  Emperor,  and  Tchere- 
vine,  254 
at  foreign  embassies,  278 
and  Schweinitz,  303 
his  detestation  of  journalists,  318 
ceaseless  activity  of,  320 
popularity  of,  320 
peaceful  intentions,  322 
burial  of,  324 
Alexander  III.  Museum,  279 
Alexander  Michailovitch,  Grand  Duke, 

and  aviation,  233 
Alexander  of  Oldenburg,  Prince,  phi- 
lanthropy of,  236 
Alexander  of  Prussia,  Prince,  104 
Alexander  Romanoff,  murder  of,  339 
Alexandra  Feodorovna,  Grand  Duchess, 

232 
Alexandra  Feodorovna,  Empress,  329, 
332 
marriage  of,  324 
popular  reception,  326 
Alexandra  Georgievna,  Grand  Duchess, 
230 
description  of,  231 
death,  231 
Alexandra,     Queen,     at    George    V.'s 

marriage,  8 
Alexandrina,  Princess  of  Prussia,  un- 
happy marriage  of,  104 
Alexis,  Grand  Duke,  308 

popularity,  229 
Alice,  Grand  Duchess,  323 
Alix  of  Hesse,  Princess,  betrothed,  323 
Alsace-Lorraine,  210 
Amherst,  Alice,  Lady,  description  of,  39 
Amptliill,  Lady,  at  silver  wedding  of 
Crown  Prince,  125 
success  in  Berlin,  178 


343 


Index 


Ampthill,  Lord,  friendship  with  Fred- 
erick  III.  and  Empress,  97 

popular  Berlin  host,  177 

cordial  terms  with  Bismarck,  177 
Andrassy,  Count,  at  Berlin  Congress, 

182 
Andriani,  Baroness  d',  friendship  with 

William  I.,  139 
Angeli,  208 

friendship  with  Frederick  and  Vic- 
toria, 140 
Anna  Pavlovna,  Queen,  118 
Ansola,  Don  Luis  de  Bourbon,  Duke 

of,  marriage  of,  309 
Apraxine,  Countess,  marriage,  257 
Argyll,  Duke  of,  description  of,  12 
Arnim,  Countess,  139 
Arnim  Krochlendorff,  Madame,  69 
Arnold,  Matthew,  208 
Asquith,  H.  H.,  description  of,  14 

marriage  of,  14 

rising  star,  14 
Aubertot,  Mme.  Chevreux,  306 
Augusta,  Empress,  attempts  to  change 
court  ceremonial,  57 

little  leisure  with  husband,  63 

tea  parties,  64 

strict  observance  of  Lent,  68 

boresome  Thursday  concerts,  71 

favours  Coblenz,  73 

visits  Baden-Baden,  74 

her  foibles,  82 

political  opinions,  82 

rivalry  with  Princess  Charles,  82 

high  sense  of  duty,  83 

relations  with  husband,  83 

tactlessness,  83 

charitable  activities,  84 

secret  Catholic  sympathies,   85 

high  instincts  obscured,  85 

and   proclamation   of   German   Em- 
pire, 85 

and  Kulturkampf,  85,  157 

religious  tolerance,  85 

French  sympathies,  86,  88 

her  bad  grace,  87 

dislike  of  Crown  Princess,  88 

prudence  of,  105 

her  love  of  gossip,  110,  133 

love  of  functions,  116 


Augusta,     Empress,    golden    wedding 
celebrated,  123 
splendid  appearance  of,  124 
death  of,  126 
August    William    of    Prussia,    Prince, 
marriage,    divorce,    and    re-mar- 
riage, 143 
August  of  Wurtemberg,  Prince,  105 


Babelsberg  Castle,  William   I.  and 

Augusta's  receptions  at,  74 
Baden,  Grand  Duchess  of,  62 

with  Empress  Augusta,  74 

love  for  her  father,  74 
Baden-Baden,  Empress  Augusta  at,  74 
BalaschofT,  Mme.  Catherine,  288 
Balfour,  Arthur,  hope  of  Conservatives, 

5 
Balliol  College,  Sir  Robert  Morier  at,  21 
Bariatinsky,  Princess  Elizabeth,  287 

exclusiveness  of,  284 

kindness  to  j'oung  people,  285 
Beaconsfield,     Lord,     compared     with 
Gladstone,  29 

defines  political  parties,  32 

at  Berlin  Congress,  181 

charm  of,  181 

description  of,  181 

secret  treaties,  182 
Beauharnais,    Zeneide.     (See    Duchess 

of  Leuchtenberg) 
Beaulaincourt,  Countess  de,  114 
Bebel,  death  of,  174 

description  of,  174 

opposition  to  Bismarck,  175 
Bell,  Moberley,  description  of,  22 
Bell,  Mrs.  Moberley,  description  of,  23 
Bell  of  Nyrob,  Legend  of,  335 
Belosselskj'  of  Belozersk,  Prince,  mar- 
riage of,  260 
Belosselsky,  Princess  Nadine,  293 
Benckendorff,  Countess,  293 
Berlin,  William  L's  palace  invaded,  52 

Court  precedence  at,  58 

Court  reception  at,  58 

Court  balls,  60 

simple  life  at  Court,  60,  64 


344 


Index 


Berlin,  Imperial  table  at,  61 

homeliness  of  Court  receptions,  64  ^ 
great  Courts  at,  66 
ball  in  Opera  House,  67 
former  strict  social  demarcations  re- 
laxed, 68 
Lenten  observances,  69 
season  begins,  75 
hostility  to  Princess  Louise,  105 
Court  festivities,  116 
society  conditions  under  William  I., 

127 
gossip,  133 
intellectual  life,  147 
diplomatic  corps  in,  177 
Berlin  Congress,  178 

Russian  disappointment,  237 
Bernard    of    Saxe-Meiningen,    Prince, 

marriage  of,  106 
Bilbassofl,  M.,  advanced  political  views, 

312 
Biron  of  Curland,  Princess,   great  in- 
fluence of,  112 
description  of,  134 
friendship  with  William  I.,  134 
Bismarck,      Prince,      relations      with 
William  I.,  50,  55,  56,  158 
successes  of,  55 
opinion  of  Salisbury,  56 
his  soft  heart,  56 
bad  relations  with  Empress  Augusta, 

85,  115,  125 
absence  from  royal  marriages,  117 
death  of,  126 
hatred  of  Schleinitz,  137 
destroys      influence      of      Radziwill 

family,  146 
author's  cordial  relations  with,  152 
petty  intrigues  against,  153 
raids  Radziwills'  palace,  154 
impressions  of,  155 
realisation  of  Prussia's  destinj-,  158 
home  life,  159 

relations  with  Reichstag,  168 
relations  with  Richter,  168 
anti-Russian  policy,  172 
Reichstag  overridden  by,  173 
opposed  by  Bebel,  175 
quarrels  with  Sabourofl,  179 
appointed  President  of  Council,  195 


Bismarck,  Prince,  as  peacemaker,  196 
accuses  Crown  Prince  and  Princess  of 

intrigue,  202 
at  Crown  Prince's  party,  203 
foments  discord  in  Imperial  family, 

210 
and  Schweinitz,  302 
Bismarck,    Princess,    author's    cordial 
relations  with,  152 
impressions,  159 
wifely  devotion,  159 
hatred  of  French,  162 
narrow-mindedness,  162 
Black  Eagle,  Order  of,  65 
BleichrSder,  Baron  von,  his  invitation 
declined,  68 
relations  with  Bismarck,  150 
BloudofI,  Countess  Antoinette,  288 
Bliicher  von  Wahlstadt,   Prince,   par- 
simony of,  9 
description  of,  132 
Blumenthal,  General,  209 
Boisdeffre,    General,  at   coronation   of 

Nicholas  II.,  329 
Boris  Godounoff,  Tsar,  murders  Dmitry, 

339 
Brandenburg,  Countess  Alexandra  von, 

112 
Brandenburg-Schwedt,      Princess     of, 

marriage  of,  143 
Brassey,  Lady,  description  of,  43 
Bridgewater  House,  receptions  at,  37 
Bruhl,  Countess  Hedwig,  198 
Brunswick,  Regent  of  Duchy  of,  104 
Buccleuch,  Duchess  of,  description  of, 

38 
Buckingham  Palace,  ball  at,  counter- 
manded, 11 
impressions  of,  12 
Buckingham  and  Chandos,  Duchess  of, 

marriage  of,  37 
Biilow,  Prince  von,  marriage  of,  138, 
187 
description  of,  185 
barrenness  of  career,  186 
favourite  with  Bismarck,  187 
in  Italy,  188 

break  with  William  II.,  188 
Bulow,  Princess  von,  good  influence  of, 
188 


345 


Index 


Bunge,  M.,  opposes  Witte,  243 
Burghclere,  Lady,  12 
Burghley,  Lord,  5,  44 
Burgomaster  of  Berlin  at  Court,  66 


Cadogan,  Lady,  as  hostess,  34 

Cain,  George,  appreciation  of  Vladimir, 

228 
Campo    Sagrado,   Marquis   de,   in   St. 
Petersburg,  308 
ignominious  departure,  309 
Camporeale,  Prince  of,  138 
Caprivi,  General,  succeeded  by  Hohen- 

lohe,  184 
Carolath-Beuthen,    Prince,    in    Reich- 
stag, 169 
Castellane,  Marshal  de,  114 
Castellane,  Mile,  de,  marriage  of,  144 
Catherine  Michailovna,  Grand  Duchess, 
description  of,  234 
death,  234 
Catholic  party  led  by  Radziwills,  153 
Cecil  family  at  Hatfield,  34 
Centre  party  in  Reichstag,  170 

supports   Socialists,   172 
Charles  of  Prussia,  Prince,  description 
of,  100 
sudden  death  of,  101 
Charles  of  Prussia,  Princess,  relations 
with  Empress  Augusta,  82,  101 
birthday  celebrations,  100 
description  of,  100 
death  of,  101 
Charlotte  of  Russia,  Empress,  favour- 
ite sister  of  William  I.,  62,  108 
Charlotte  of  Prussia,  Princess,  educa- 
tion of,  104 
marriage,  104,  106,  116 
description  of,  119 
Chelsea  House,  a  ball  at,  34 
Chesterfield,  Lord,  his  original  letters, 

39 
Chevening,  description  of,  39 
Christian    IX.,    King,   at   wedding   of 

Nicholas  IL,  325 
Churchill,  Winston,  still  unknown,  14 

as  a  boy,  19 
Clarence,  Duke  of,  in  Berlin,  108 


Clarendon,  Lord,  foreign  secretaryship, 

178,  194 
Clay,  Spender,  19 
Cleveland,  Duchess  of,  anecdote  about, 

13 
description  of,  36 
disapproves    of    Princess    Anthony 

Radziwill's  conduct,  36 
Clovis,     Prince     and     Princess.     (See 

Hohenlohe) 
Coblenz,  favoured  by  Empress  Augusta, 

73 
Connaught,  Duchess  of,  72,  103 
meets  future  husband,  123 
at  coronation  of  Nicholas  II.,  328 
Connaught,  Duke  of,  at  coronation  of 

Nicholas  II.,  328 
Conservatives     admit     Mr.     Asquith's 

cleverness,  14 
coalition  with  National  Liberals,  169 
Constantine    Constantinovitch,    Grand 

Duke,  as  author,  233 
marriage,  234 
Constantine       Nicolaievitch,       Grand 

Duke,  231 
Corelli,  Marie,  description  of,  25 
Costa,  Count  Bottaro.in  St.  Petersburg, 

310 
Croy,  Duke  of,  131 
Currie,  Sir  Philip,  pertinacity  of,  6 


Dagmar  of  Denmark,  Princess,  mar- 
riage of,  219 
Dantzig  incident,  195 
Daughter     of     author     presented     at 

Russian  Court,  3 
Davidoff,  Count  and  Countess  Orloff, 

277,  288 
Delianoff,  Countess,  description  of,  269 

death  of,  269 
Demidoff,    M.    Elim,    Prince    of    San 

Donato,  marriage  of,  279 
Denmark,    King    of,    at    George    V.'s 

marriage,  8 
Denmark,    Queen   of,    at   George   V.'s 

marriage,  8 
Devonshire,    Duke    and    Duchess    of, 

description  of,  35 


346 


Index 


Devonshire     House,     receptions     at, 

35 
Dino,  Duchess  de,  113 
Dolgorouky,  Princess  Mary,  293 
Donhoff,  Countess,  marriage  of,  138 
Dournoff,  Mme.  Marie,  description  of, 

287 
Dournovo,    M.,    Minister    of    Interior, 

240 
Dudley,  Dowager  Lady,  description  of, 

38 
Duff,  Lady,  26 
Duff,    Sir    M.    G.,    describes    Winston 

Churchill  and  Sir  Robert  Morier, 

20 
description  of,  26 


E 

Edinburgh,  visit  to,  39 

description  of,  40 
Edward  VII.,  King,  in  Berlin,  108 

at  niece's  wedding,  118 
Egerton  of  Tatton,  Lord,  marriage  of, 

37 
Egypt,  visit  to,  126 
Elizabeth  of  Brunswick-Wolfenbtittel, 

Princess,  marriage  of,  143 
Elizabeth   Christina,    Queen,   relations 

with  King,  142 
Elizabeth  Feodorovna,  Grand  Duchess, 

230,  324 
Elizabeth  of  England,  Queen,  5 
at  Hatfield,  33 
thoughts  turn  to,  44 
impersonated  in  Berlin,  125 
Elizabeth    of    Prussia,   Princess,  mar- 
riage and  death  of,  103,  117 
description  of,  119 
Elizabeth  of  Prussia,  Queen,  has  little 
affection  for  Augusta,  82 
flight  to  Memel,  92 
EUesmere,     Countess     of,     invitations 

from,  37 
Emma  of  Netherlands,  Queen,  obtains 

justice  for  Princess  Mary,  123 
Ems,  visited  by  William  I.,  74 
England,  memories  of,  1 
visit  to,  3 
love  for,  3 


England,  spirit  of  order  very  striking 
in,  13 
political  circles  in,  14 
arrival  in,  20 
freedom  of  society  in,  39 
amenities  of  political  life  in,  41 
breadth  of  view  in,  41 
home  life  in  upper  classes  absent,  42 
restlessness  in  society,  42 
democracy     creates    new     class     of 
politicians,  46 
English  political  circles,  14 
Eugen,    Archduke,    at     coronation    of 

Nicholas  II.,  328 
Eugene,  Duke  of  Leuchtenberg,  mar- 
riage, 235 
Eugenie  of  Oldenburg,  Princess,  236, 

287 
Everingham  Park,  visit  to,  39 


Falk  laws,  168 

Fedor   Nikisch   Romanoff  supplanted, 

339 
Ferdinand  of  Prussia,  Prince,  marriage 

of,  143 
Flanders,  Count  of,  marriage  of,  179 
Franco-Russian  Alliance,  307 

Berlin  displeasure,  304 
Frederick  Charles  of  Prussia,  Prince, 

at  Metz,  102 
Frederick  Charles,  Princess,  72 

description  of,  102 
Frederick-Christian  of  Prussia,  Prince, 

birth  of,  143 
Frederick    the     Great    relations    with 
Queen,  142 
uneasiness  re  succession,  143 
Frederick    III.,    Emperor,    description 
of,  90 
long  wait  for  crown,  90 
popularity  with  army  and  nation,  90 
memories  of  Berlin  riots,  92 
Liberal  opinions,  93 
struggle  with  his  father,  93 
noble  character,  94 
made  use  of  by  Bismarck,  95 
facilitates  proclamation  of  German 
Empire,  95 


347 


Index 


Frederick,  III.,  Emperor,  regency,  95, 
205 
on   position   of  princes  in   German 

Empire,  96 
kindness  of,  99 
death  of,  99,  126 
silver  wedding,  101,  125 
betrothal,  192 
marriage,  193 
Dantzig  incident,  195 
gratitude  to  Bismarck,  197 
in  Austrian  war,  198 
deplores  war  of  1870,  199 
Frederick,     Empress.     {See     Empress 

Victoria) 
Frederick     of    HohenzoUern,     Prince, 
marriage  of,  105 
quarrel  with  William  II.,  106 
Frederick,  Prince.    (See  Frederick  III.) 
Frederick  William  III.,  King,  birth,  144 
Frederick  William  IV.,  King,  greatest 
Protestant  monarch  in  Europe,  53 
death  of,  194 
Fiirstenberg,  Princess  of,  marriage  of, 
130 


Galitzine,    Prince   John,    popularity, 

258 
devotion  to  Marie  Feodorovna,  259 
death,  259 

and  Emperor's  health,  321 
Gambetta,  death  of,  166 
Garden    parties,    feature    in    London 

society,  44 
Genoa,    Duke    of,    at     coronation    of 

Nicholas  II.,  328 
George  V.,  King,  marriage  of,  7 
George  of  Greece,  King,  231 
George  of  Prussia,  Prince,  104 
George  Alexandrovitch,  Grand  Duke, 

226 
George,  Lloyd,  yet  unknown,  5,  14 
German  Empire,  proclaimed,  85 
its  destiny  not  popularly  recognised, 

156 
Germany,  memories  of,  47 
Giers,  M.  de,  Foreign  Minister,  246 
Gladstone,  W.  E.,  5 


Gladstone,  W.  E.,  in  office,  14 
description  of,  15,  27 

Gladstone,  Mrs.,  anecdotes  concerning, 
30 

Goltz,  Count,  friendship  with  William 
L,  110 

Gontaut  Biron,  Vicomte  de,  his  diffi- 
culties and  mistakes  in  Berlin,  180 
hostility  to  Bismarck,  202 

Gontscharoff,  M.  and  Mme.,  266 

Gordmykin,   M.,   Minister  of   Interior, 
240 

Gortschakov,  Prince,  246 

Gregorovius,  Professor,  147 

Guendoulein,  Count,  marriage  of,  309 

Guizot,  maxim  of,  208 

Gusserow,  Professor,  147 


H 
Hacke,  Countess  Adelaide,  64,  67 

description  of.  111 
Hansemann,  Baron  von,  150 
Harrach,  Count  Ferdinand,  208 

marriage  of,  140 
Harrach,  Countess  Hel^ne,  208 
Hatfield  House,  hospitality  at,  32 

description  of,  33 

Frederick  III.  at,  205 
Hatzfeld,    Count    Paul,    foreign    sec- 
retaryship, 187 
Hatzfeld,  Countess  Pauline,  marriage 

of,  114 
Hatzfeld,  Princess,  in  Italy,  138 
Hatzfeld  Trachenberg,  Prince,  132 

in  Reichstag,  169 
Hatzfeld  Trachenberg,  Princess,  132 
Helen  of  Russia,  Grand  Duchess,  105 
H616ne  of  Servia,  Princess,  marriage  of, 

234 
Heldne  Pavlovna,  Grand  Duchess,  234 
Helmholtz,  Mrs.,  description  of,  148 
Helmholtz,  Professor,  147,  208 

description  of,  149 

and  Empress  Victoria,  207 
Henckel,  Count  of,  in  Reichstag,  170 
Henry  of  Netherlands  (Senior),  Prince, 
marriage  of,  103 

death  intestate,  123 


348 


Index 


Henry  of  Prussia  (Senior),  Prince,  mar- 
riage of,  143 
Henry  of  Prussia,  Prince,  68 
enters  navy,  106 

at  coronation  of  Nicholas  H.,  328 
Henry  XV HI.  of  Reuss,  Prince,  104 
Herries,  Lord  and  Lady,  visit  to,  39 
Hesse,    Grand    Duchess    of,   death  of, 

206 
Heyden,  Countess,  marriage  of,  252 
Hirsch,  Baron,  in  society,  6 
Hochberg,    Count    of,    in    Reichstag, 

170 
Hodel,  execution  of,  97 
Hohenhau,    Countess.      {See   Mile,    de 

Rauch) 
Hohenlohe,  Prince  Clovis  von,  succeeds 
Bismarck,  129 
favourite  at  Court,  129 
in  Reichstag,  169 
description  of,  184 
chancellorship,  184 
recalls  von  Wcrder,  304 
Franco-Russian  alliance,  304 
Hohenlohe,  Princess  Clovis  von,  129 
Hohenlohe-Langenbourg,    Prince    and 

Princess,  129 
Hohenzollern,  House  of,  their  training 
and  sense  of  duty,  53 
details  of  family,  100 
Holland  House,  description  of,  34,  44 
Holyrood,  visit  to,  40 
Home  Rule,  Conservatives'  indignation 
with  supporters  of,  14 


Iqnatieff,    Count    Nicholas,  at    Con- 
stantinople, 237 
Minister  of  the  Interior,  237 
dismissal  of,  237 
death,  238 
methods,  238 
Imperial  Guards,  105 
Irene  of  Russia,  Princess,  marriage  of, 

292 
Isabella,  Queen,  308 
Ivan  the  Terrible,  son's  murder,  339 
Iveagh,  Lord  and  Lady,  at  coronation 
of  Nicholas  II.,  329 


Jena,  memories  of,  51,  92 

Jersey,  Lord  and  Lady,  their  garden 

parties,  44 
Jowett,    Benjamin,    his    influence    on 

Morier,  21 


K 

Karolyi,  Count,  popular  Berlin  host, 

177 
Karolyi,    Countess    Fanny,    as    Berlin 

hostess,  178 
Kaunenberg,  Madame  von,  143 
Kehler  von,  police  raid,  154 
Khodinka  catastrophe,  333 
Kimberley,  Lord  and  Lady,  description 

of,  17 
Kjoers,  General  de,  in  St.  Petersburg, 

308 
Kleinmichel,  Countess  Marie,  influence 

of,  286 
Kleist,  Count,  121 
Knesebeck,  Baron  von,  description  of, 

112 
Knorring,  Baroness,  292 
Kogel,    Superintendent,   delivers      ad- 
dress, 120,  124 
Kdniggratz,  victory  of,  198 
Kotchoubey,    Prince    Basil,   marriage, 

260 
Kotchoubey,  Princess  H616ne,  69,  287, 

293 
description  of,  260 
royal  friends,  260 
marriages  of,  260 
Mistress  of  the  Robes,  260 
Kourakine,  Princess,  death  of,  260 
Kourakine,  Princess  Anatole,  291 
Kraievski,  M.,  as  editor,  312 
Kreutz,  Count,  13 
Kroupensky,  Monsieur,  13 
Kulturkampf,  70,  85,  145 
its  aims,  159 


Laboulaye,  M.  and  Madame,  in  St, 
Petersburg,  306 


349 


Index 


Landtag,  Prussian,  members  at  Court, 

66 
Lascelles,  Sir  Edward  and  Lady,  in  St. 

Petersburg,  306 
Lassalle,  92 

Launay,  Count  de,  in  Berlin,  179 
Lecky,  W,  E.  H.,  description  of,  21 

and  Empress  Victoria,  207 
Lecky,  Mrs.,  description  of,  21 
Lehndorfl,  Count,  favourite  of  William 

L,  110 
Lenbach,  136 

marriage  of,  139 
Leopold  of  Belgium,  King,  in  Berlin, 

117 
Leuchtenberg,  Duchess  of,  charm  of, 
235 
death,  235 
Lewachoff,  Countess,  266 

description  of,  267 
Leyden,  Dr.,  147,  209 
Liechtenstein,   Prince   Francis,   at   St. 

Petersburg,  305,  328 
Lindau,  Rudolph  and  Paul,  209 
Lobanoff,  Princess  Alexandrine,  287 
London,  pleasant  recollections  of,  4 
months  spent  in,  26 
full  of  interest,  34 
very  gay  in  1894,  37 
foreigner's  impression  of,  44 
before  nouveau  riche  invasion,  45 
Louis  of  Bavaria,  King,  tragic  death  of, 

95 
Louis  Ferdinand  of  Prussia,  Prince,  105 

birth  of,  143 
Louise,  Princess,  relates  anecdote,  12 

description  of,  12 
Louise  of  Baden,   Grand  Duchess  of, 
love  for  her  father,  107 
charm  and  tact,  108 
Louise  Margaret  of  Prussia,  Princess, 

meets  Duke  of  Connaught,  123 
Louise  of  Prussia,  Queen,  flight  of,  51 
Louise  of  Denmark,  Queen,  appreciates 

Princess  Kotchoubey,  260 
Louise  of  Thurn  and  Taxis,  Princess, 
105 
marriage  of,  105 
description  of,  106 
Lowther  Lodge,  reception  at,  45 


Lowther,  Mrs.,  as  hostess,  45 
Luther,  his  influence  on  Prussia,  52 


M 

Mallinckrodt,  Dr.,  death  of,  170 

leads  Centre  party,  170 
Manchester,  Duchess  of,  in  Berlin,  69 
Manteuffel,  Marshal  von,  209 
in  Alsace  and  Lorraine,  167 
relations  with  Bismarck,  167 
death,  210 
Marianne  of  the  Netherlands,  Princess, 

marriage  and  divorce,  103 
Marie  Alexandrovna,  Empress,  219 
Marie  Alexandrovna,  Grand  Duchess, 

287 
Marie  Feodorovna,  Empress,  69,  277, 
283,  329,  331 
arrival  in  Russia,  219 
description  of,  220 
amiability  of,  224 
home  life,  224 
loveliness  of,  230 
regard  for  Tch6r6vine,  256 
helpful  entourage,  259 
in  fancy  dress,  271 
love  of  dancing,  276 
charm  retained,  294 
chevaliers  gardes,  293 
at  marriage  of  Nicholas  IL,  325 
Marie  Henriette,  Queen,  in  Berlin,  117 
Marie  of  HoenzoUern,  Princess,  mar- 
riage of,  179 
Marie    Nicolaievna,    Grand    Duchess, 
235 
morganatic  marriage,  258 
Marie  Pavlovna,  Grand  Duchess,  310 
description  of,  229 
loveliness  of,  230 
fancy-dress  balls,  271 
disUke  of  Radolin,  304 
Marie  of  Saxe-Weimar.     {See  Princess 

Charles) 
Marlborough,     Duke     of,     designated 
prophet  of  regenerated  England, 
19 
Marlborough  House,  garden  party  at,  7 
Marochetti,  Baron,  in  St.  Petersburg, 
310 


350 


Index 


Marriages,   Prussian   Royal,   etiquette 

of,  117 
Mary  of  Netherlands,  Princess,  widow- 
hood, 123 
Mary  of  Prussia,  Princess,  marriages  of, 
103,  122 
death  of,  103 
Mary    of    England,    Queen,    marriage 

of,  8 
Mary  Stuart,  16 

visit  to  bedroom  of,  40 
May,  Princess.    (See  Queen  Mary) 
Mecklenburg,  Grand  Duke  of,  in  Berlin, 

119 
Mecklenburg,  Grand  Duchess  Alexan- 
drine of,  in  Berlin,  119 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin,    Duke    of,    un- 
happy rtvarriage  of,  104 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin,  Dowager  Grand 

Duchess  of,  108 
Melville,    Mrs.    Beresford,    invitation 

from,  19 
Memel,  Queen  Louise  flies  to,  51 
Mendelssohn-Bartholdys,  209 
Menschikoff,  Princess  Leonille,  289 
Menzel,  methods  of  portraiture,  140 
Mestchersky,  Prince,  newspaper  owner, 

316 
Meyerbeer,  139 
Meyerbeer,   Cornelia,   208 
Michael    Nicolaievitch,    Grand    Duke, 

232 
Michael  Nikitisch  Romanoff,  339 

buried  alive,  340 
Michael,  Tsar,  339 
Mignet,  Monsieur,  as  historian,  16 
Minghetti,  Donna  Laura,  138 
Minghetti,  M.,  188 

Moltke,  Field-Marshal  Count  von,  55, 
114,  209 
death  of,  126 
description  of,  164 
and  Gambetta,  166 
at  Sedan,  166 
Moltke,    Countess    von,    marriage    of, 

139 
Mommsen,  Professor,  209 

and  Empress  Victoria,  207 
Montagu  House,  garden   party   at,  34 
Montebello,  Marquis  de,  275 


Montebello,    Count    de,    and    Franco- 
Russian  rapprochement,  303 

lavish  hospitality,  305 
Montreal  House,  full  of  interest,  39 
Montrose,  Duchess  of,  classical  beauty 

of,  38 
Morier,  Sir  Robert,  description  of,  20 

in  St,  Petersburg,  305 
Morley,  Viscount,  description  of,  15 

his  association  with  Gladstone,  16 


N 

Napoleon  Bonaparte,  oppression  of 

Prussia,  92 
Narischkine,  Madame  Emmanuel,  de- 
scription of,  282 
Narischkine,  M.,  death  of,  283 
Narischkine,  Basil,  description  of,  283 
Narischkine,  Marie  Antonovna,  286 
National  Liberals,  coalition  with  Con- 
servatives, 169 
NelidofT,  Madame,  description  of,  266 
Nesselrode,  Count,  64 
description  of,  112 
Netchaiefl,  Sisters,  description  of,' 278 
Netchaieff  Maltsefl,  M.,  278 
munificent  donations,  279 
Neumdorft  Mile,  von,  180 
Nevill,  Lady  Dorothy,  as  writer,  23 
Newspapers,  Russian   Golos,  312 
Novoie   Vremia,  313 
Golos  suppressed,  313 
Grajdanine,  316 

effect    of    Japanese    war    on    jour- 
nalism, 318 
Nicholas  H.,  Emperor,  331 
early  promise,  226 
retains  Tch6r6vine,  253 
betrothal,  323 
marriage  of,  325 
Coronation,  328 
Khodinka  disaster,  333 
Nicholas  Alexandrovitch,  Grand  Duke 

Tsarevitch,  at  Tchin  ball,  274 
Nicholas  Hall,  balls  in,  272 
Nicholas  Michailovitch,   Grand  Duke, 

learnedness  of,  232 
Nicholas   Nicolaievitch,    Grand   Duke, 
231 


351 


Index 


Nobiling,  attempts  life  of  William  I., 
62,  97,  122 

Norfolk,  Duchess  of,  parentage  of,  39 

Northumberland,  Duke  of,  entertain- 
ment at  house  of,  37 

Nothomb,  Baron,  confidant  of  Bis- 
marck, 179 


O 

Obolensky,  Prince,  292 
Obolensky,   Prince  and   Princess  Vla- 
dimir, 257 
Obolensky,  Princess  Marie,  266,  268 
Odescalchi,    Princess.     (See    Countess 

Redern) 
Oldenburg,  Hereditary  Grand  Duke  of, 

103 
Olga,  Grand  Duchess,  marriage,  227 
Olga     Feodorovna,     Grand     Duchess, 
distinguished  children,  232 
description  of,  232 
death,  232 
Olga  of  Greece,  Queen,  231 
Oppenheim,  Miss,  marriage  of,  147 
OrioUa,  Countess  Louise,  64,  111 

friendship  with  Princess  Biron,  134 
OrioUa,  Countess  Max,  139 
Orlofl,  Countess  Olga,  292 
Ossuna,  Duke  of,  132 
Osterley,  garden  parties  at,  44 
Oubril,  Baron  d',  in  Berlin,  178 
Ouida,  description  of,  25 
Ouroussoff,  Princes,  294 


Padilla,  Madame  Art6t  de,  71 
Pahlen,  Count  Constantine,  269 

conducts  Khodinka  disaster  inquiry, 

333 
Pahlen,  Countess  Constantine,  269 
Palm  Balls,  magnificence  of,  276 
Paschkievitch,  Princess,  266,  268 
Paul,  Emperor,  118 
Paul,  Grand  Duchess,  hostess,  272 
Paul,     Grand     Duke,     marriage     of, 

231 
Peace  of  San  Stefano,  181 


Percy,  Countess,  description  of,  37 

favourite  of  Queen  Victoria,  37 
Pergler  von  Preglas,  Baroness,  139 
Perponcher,  Count  Fritz  von,  67 
Perponcher,   Countess,  description  of, 

112 
Peter  the  Great,  etiquette,  273 
Peter  of  Oldenburg,  Prince,  marriage, 
227 

philanthropy  of,  236 
Petrograd.     (See  St.  Petersburg) 
Pitt,  5 
Pless,  Prince,  75,  128 

riches  of,  131 

in  Reichstag,  169 
Pobedonostseff,  M.,  244,  297 

description  of,  247 

death,  248 
Polovtsov,  Madame,  292 
Potsdam,   William    I.   attends   annual 
feast  at,  73 

residence  of  Crown  Prince,  74 
Pourtal^s,  Count  William,  114 
Pourtal^s,  Countess  H61ene,  140 
Pouschkine,  Countess  Moussine,  patri- 
archal life,  265 
Pouschkine,  General  Count  Alexander 

Moussine,  294 
Preobrajensky  Regiment,  294 
Princess  Royal,  marriage  of,  53 
Prussia,  fears  of,  54 

her  debt  to  William  I.,  55 
Prussia,  Princess  of,  opposed  to  King, 

54 
Prussian    Court,    attempt    to    change 
ceremonial,  57 


R 
Radolin,  Prince,  in  Berlin,  108 
in  St.  Petersburg,  304 
transferred  to  Paris,  305 
Radolin,   Princess,   resentment  of  her 

aunt's  conduct,  36 
Radowitz,  Madame  de,  136 
Radziwill,  privileged  position  of  family, 
115 
political  influence,  145 
connection  with  Kulturkampf,  153 


352 


Index 


Radziwill,   Prince   Anthony   (i.),   rela- 
tionship to   Frederick  the   Great, 
142 
Radziwill,  Prince  Anthony  (ii.),  favour- 
ite of  William  I.,  110 
Radziwill,      Prince      Anthony      (iii.)» 

A.D.C.  to  William  I.,  144 
Radziwill,    Princess    Anthony,    boxes 

niece's  ears,  36 
Radziwill,  Princess  Elisa,  first  love  of 

William  I.,  62,  144 
Radziwill,  Prince  Ferdinand  and  Kul- 

turkampf,  145 
Radziwill,    Princess   Mary,  description 

of,  144 
Ranke,  Professor,  147 
his  views,  148 
and  Empress  Victoria,  207 
Ratibor,  Duchess  of,  115 
Ratibor,  Duke  of,  75,  115,  128,  129 
and  Kulturkampf,  130 
in  Reichstag,  170 
Rauch,  Mdlle.  de,  marriage  of,  104 
Raymond,  Professor  Dubois,  147 

and  Empress  Victoria,  207 
Reay,  Lord  and  Lady,  description  of, 

23 
Red  Cross  Society  helped  by  Empress 

Augusta,  84 
Redern,  Count  and  Countess,  115 
Reformation,  its  effect  on  Germany,  52 
Reichstag  members  at  Court,  66 
formation  of  political  parties,  168 
overridden  by  Bismarck,  174 
deputies,  209 
Renan,  Duff's  friendship  for,  27 
writings  quoted,  51 
writings  criticised,  207 
Reuterskjold,  Baron,  in  St.  Petersburg, 

310 
Richter,  208 

portraits  by,  139 
Richter,  Madame  Cornelie,  139 
Richter,  Eugen,  leads  National  Liberals, 
168 
relations  with  Bismarck,  168 
Ripon,  Marquis  of,  description  of,  18 
Rizzio,  David,  repainting  of  his  blood- 
stains, 40 
Romanoffs,  not  long-lived,  228 


Roon,  successes  of,  55 

Rosebery,  Lord,  hope  of  Liberals,  5 

description  of,  24 
Rothschild,    Baron    Alfred,    invitation 

from,  13 
Rothschild,  Baron  Ferdinand,  descrip- 
tion of,  38 
Rothschild  (of  Frankfurt),  209 
Russell,  Lord  Odo,  177.     (See  also  Lord 
Ampthill) 

intervention  of,  203 
Russia,  author  settled  in,  126 

under  Alexander  III.,  212 

memories  of,  217 

Treaty  of  Portsmouth,  242 

peasants  and  landowners,  245 

journalism  in,  312 


Sabouroff,    Monsieur,    quarrels   with 

Bismarck,  179 
Sadowa,  55 

effects,  156 
Sagan,  Duchess  de,  description  of,  114 
Sagan,  Duke  de,  73,  75 

description  of,  113 
St.  Petersburg,  author's  daughter  pre- 
sented at,  3 

hospitals  organised,  252 

exclusiveness,  264 

social  life,  263,  271 

beautiful  women,  290 

salons,  282 

dancing  men,  293 

diplomatic  corps,  302 
St.  Vallier,  Count  de,  111* 

in  Berlin,  180 
St.  Vallier,  Marquis  and  Marquise,  181 
Salisbury,  Lady,  strong  opinions  of,  6 

description  of,  32 
Salisbury,  Lord,  greatness  of,  5 

hospitality  of,  32 

entertains  Frederick  III.,  205 
Salisbury,  Lord  and  Lady,  still  main- 
tain Hatfield  traditions,  34 
Salome    of    Mingrelia,   Princess,   mar- 
riage of,  292 
San  Stefano  Treaty,  237 


353 


Index 


Saxe-Altenburg,  Princess  of,  marriage 

of,  234 
Saxe-Meiningen,    Prince    of,    marriage 

of,  116 
Saxe-Weimar,   Grand  Duchess  of,  de- 
scription of,  118 
Saxe-Weimar,  Grand  Duke  of,  dullness 

of,  108 
Scheb6ko,  Madame,  266 

description  of,  267 
Schdbeko,  M.,  marriage  of,  292 
Scheremctieff,  Count,  277 
ScheremetiefT,  Count  Alexander,  musi- 
cian, 252 
ScheremetiefT,  Countess  Alexander,  and 

Red  Cross  Society,  252 
Scheremetiell,  Countess  Mary,  philan- 
thropist, 252 
Schercmeticfl,  Count  Serge,  description 
of,  251 
patriarchal  life,  265 
ScheremetiefT,  Madame,  beauty  of,  292 
Scheremeticff,  Madame  Hd^ne,  258 
Schleinitz,  Count,  73 

hated  by  Bismarck,  137 
death  of,  138 
Schleinitz,  Countess,  208 
wedding  of,  95 
description  of,  136 
marries  again,  138 
Schouvaloil",    Count    Paul,    success    in 

Beriin,  179 
Schouvaloff,  Countess,  286 
Schouvaloff,  Countess  Paul,  260 
Schwabach,  Madame,  receptions,  150 
Schwanebach,  M.  von,  334 
Schweinitz,  General  von,  in  St.  Peters- 
burg, 187 
diplomatic  appointments,  302 
friendship  with  Frederick  III.,  302 
popularity  in  St.  Petersburg,  303 
Scotland,  visit  to,  39 
Sedan,  55 

effects,  156 
Serge,  Grand  Duchfss,  hostess,  272 
Serge,  Grand  Duke,  description  of,  229 

Governor-General  of  Moscow,  272 
Serge    Alexandrovitch,    Grand    Duke, 

military  command,  294 
Sermoneta,  Duchess  of,  291 


Shahovskoy,  Prince,  marriage  of,  291 
Shakespeare,  his  influence  on  foreign 

literature,  17 
Siemens,  Professor  and  Mrs.,  149 
Skobeleff,  Mile.,  marriage  of,  235 
Socialist   party   supported   by   Centre 

party,  172 
Solovieff,  Vladimir,  metaphysics,  300 
Solsky,  Countess,  287 
Soltykoff,  Princess,  288 
Soltykoff,  Princess  Annette,  293 
Sophy  Charlotte,  Princess  of  Prussia, 

marriage  of,  103 
Souvorine,    Alexis,    editorial    acumen, 

313 
belief  in  Russia's  future,  316 
Staal,  Baron  de,  kindness  of,  11 
Stafford  House,  fame  of,  37 
Stanhope,     Lord     and     Lady,     visits 

to,  39 
Stanhope,    Philip,    letters   from    Lord 

Chesterfield  to,  39 
Stanley  of  Alderley,  Lady,  description 

of,  23 
Stanley,    Sir    Henry,    description    of, 

23 
Star  and  Garter,  dinner  at,  9 
Steinbock  Fermor,  Count  and  Countess, 

entertain  Empress,  277 
Stieglitz,  Baron,  292 
Stillfried,  Count,  57 
Stockmar,  Baron,  advises  marriage  of 

Princess  Rojal  to  Frederick  HI., 

53 
desire  to  unite  German  and  English 

families,  192 
Stoetwegen,  Baron  van,  310 
Stolberg-Wernigcrode,    Count    of,    75, 

128,  131 
Stolberg-Wernigerode,  Countess,  131 
Stolberg-Wernigerode,    Countess    Udo, 

impersonates  Queen  Elizabeth,  125 
StrogonofI,  Count  Gregory,  marriage, 

258 
StrogonofI,  Countess,  marriage,  258 
Strogonoff,  Countess  Paul,  Mistress  of 

Robes,  262 
Stuart,  Mr.  Maxwell,  kindness  of,  39 
Sutherland,     Duchess    of,     prettiest 

woman  in  England,  37 


354 


Index 


TcHEREViNE,  General,  240,  319,  322 
power  and  popularity,  253 
death  of,  253,  255 
independence,  254 
advice  to  Nicholas  II.,  255 
devotion  to  Marie  Feodorovna,  25G 
Tchin  entertained  by  Royalty,  273 
Tchirscky,   Baron,   in   St.   Petersburg, 

310 
Teck,  Duchess  of,  at  George  V.'s  wed- 
ding, 8 
description  of,  9 
Tennant,  Miss  Margot,  marriage  of,  14 
Teplitz,  William  I.,  at,  122 
Thornton,  Sir  Edwiird,  in  St.  Peters- 
burg, 305 
transferred  to  Constantinople,  305 
Thornton,  Lady,  305 
Timascheff,    General,    description     of, 

280 
Times  newspaper,  under  liell,  22 

Dantzig  incident,  196 
Toll,  Count,  274 
Toll,  Count  Serge,  267 
Tolstoy,  Count,  274 
Tolstoy,    Count    Dmitri,    Golos    news- 
paper, 313 
Minister  of  Interior,  239 
resoluteness,  239 
death,  239 
Tolstoy,    Count      Leo,     influence     of, 

317 
Tolstoy,  Countess  Alexandrine,  287 
Tolstoy,  Countess  Sophy,  266 

description  of,  267 
Tolstoy,  Madame  Catherine,  beaut v  of, 

290 
Tourguenicff,  message  to  Tolstoy,  317 
Toutschefl,  Mile.  Daria,  288 
Treaty  of  Portsmoutli,  242 
Troubetzko\',   Princess   Lise,  in  Paris, 

260 
Tryon,  Admiral,  death  of,  11 
Tsarevitch,  Grand  Duke,  at  George  V.'s 
marriage,  8 
at  Buckingham  Palace,  11 
Turkish  war,  return  of  Russian  troops, 
219 
Russian  disappointment,  237 


Tweeddale,  Dowager  Lady,  invitation 
from,  13 


U 
Ujest,  Duke  of,  128 
Protestantism  of,  130 
in  Reichstag,  170 


Vauvineux,  Count,  in  St.  Petersburg, 

310 
Victor  Luis,  Archduke,  328 
Victoria,    Empress  (wife   of  Frederick 
IIL),  7 

friendship  with  Lord  Ampthill,  97 

criticism  of,  98,  190 

dissensions  with  William  II.,  99,  210 

silver  wedding  of,  101,  125 

death  of,  126,  216 

birth  and  upbringing,  190 

betrothal,  192 

criticised  by  Augusta,  193 

difficulties  in  Germany,  193 

marriage,  193 

distrusted,  194 

her  memorandum,  194 

death  of  son,  198 

during  Austrian  War,  198 

ambitions  for  husband,  200 

description  of,  201 

sorrows  of,  206 

friends  of,  207 

Elizabethan  party,  209 

impersonates  Leonora  Gonzagua,  209 

as  Empress,  213 

reconciliation  with  William  II.,  216 

author's  last  meeting  with,  216 
Victoria,    Empress    (wife    of    William 
II.),  happy  home  life  and  tact,  107 
Victoria,  H.M.S.,  loss  of,  11 
Victoria,  Princess.     (See  Empress  Vic- 
toria) 
Victoria,  Queen,  323 

description  of,  7 

at  Marlborough  House,  7 

at  George  V.'s  marriage,  8 

her  association  with  Gladstone,  29 

visits  Napoleon  III.,  191 


355 


Index 


Victoria,    Queen,    upbringing  of  chil-      William  I.,  Emperor,  in  war  of  1870, 
dren,  191  52 

Villagonzala,  Count,  in  St.  Petersburg, 
309 

Villeneuve,  Countess  de,  291 

Vincent,  Lady  Helen,  brilliance  of,  38 

Vladimir  Alexandrovitch,  Grand  Duke, 
description  of,  228 

Volkenstein,  Count,  marriage  of,  96, 138 
in  St.  Petersburg,  305 

Volkenstein,  Countess,  208 

Volkhonsky,  Prince,  plotting  and  exile, 
295 

Volkhonsky,   Prince   Michael,   restora- 
tion, 295 

Volkhonskj%  Prince  Sergius,  296 

Volkhonsky,  Prince  Madimir,  in  Duma, 
296 

Volkhonsky,  Princess  Lise,  291,  295 
erudition,  296 
conversion  to  Catholicism,  297 

Volkhonsky,  Princess  Mary,  296 


W 
Waddesdon  Manor,  description  of,  38 
Wagner,  Madame  Cosima,  136 
Waldemar  of  Prussia,  Prince,  death  of, 

206 
Wales,  Prince  of,  birth  of,  37 
Wales,  Princess  of.     (See  Alexandra) 
Walsingham,  5 
Werder,  General  von,  in  St.  Petersburg, 

303 
recalled,  304 
Wernigerode  Castle,  131 
Wharnclilfe,  Lord,  description  of,  30 
White  Hall,  fine  sight  at,  120 
White  Lodge,  visit  to,  9 
Wiazemsky,     Princess,     marriage     of, 

251 
Wiesbaden,  visited  by  William   L,  73 
Wildenbruch,  Madame  von,  105 
Wilhelms   Platz   Palace,  reception  at, 

100 
Wilhelmina  of  Hesse  Cassel,  Princess, 

marriage  of,  143 
William  I.,  Emperor,  description  of,  50 
vicissitudes  of,  51 


W 


difficult  position  of,  53 

belief  in  Prussia's  future,  54 

loyalty  of,  to  his  brother,  54 

as  Regent,  54 

relations  with  Bismarck,  55 

unappreciated  by  nation,  55 

disinterestedness  of,  55 

lack  of  vanity,  58 

declines  escort,  62 

hard  worker,  63 

at  Empress's  tea  parties,  65 

as  a  host,  68 

at  manoeuvres,  73 

visits  Wiesbaden  for  his  rheumatism, 
73 

entertained  by  friends,  73 

love  for  his  daughter,  75 

great  age  attained,  90 

struggle  with  Crown  Prince,  93 

life  attempted  by  Hodel,  97 

friendship  with  Countess  OrioUa, 
111 

at  Royal  weddings,  120 

wounded  by  Nobeling,  122,  205 

golden  wedding  celebrated,  123 

acclaimed  at  opera,  135 

recovery  of,  135 

realisation  of  Prussia's  destiny, 
158 

Dantzig  incident,  195 

curtails  liberty  of  Press,  195 

accepts  Imperial  Crown,  199 

objection  to  peace  with  Austria, 
197 

death,  212 

friendly  to  Princess  Kotchoubey, 
260 

Franco-Russian  Alliance,  304 

illiam  XL,  Emperor,  description  of, 
106 

marriage  of,  125 

break  with  Bulow,  188 

dissensions  with  Empress  Victoria, 
210 

proposed  appointment  in  Alsace- 
Lorraine,  210 

reconciliation  with  Empress  Vic- 
toria, 216 


356 


Index 


William  III,  of  Nethcilands,  King,  in 

Berlin,  122 
Windhorst,  Dr.,  leads  Centre  party,  171 

autocratic  methods,  171 
Wischnegradsky,  M.,  description  of,  241 

death,  241 
Witte,  Count,  description  of,  242 

signs  Treaty  of  Portsmouth,  242 

despotic  tendencies,  244 

financial  administrator,  244 
WoronzofI  Dachkoff,  Count,  268,  277, 
293 

description  of,  250 
Woronzoff  Dachkoff,  Countess,  277 


X 


Xenia  Alexandrovna,  Grand  Duchess, 
227,  292,  319 


York  House,  20 

York,  Duke  of.     (See  George  V.) 
YoussoupofY,  Prince,  277 
Youssoupoff,  Princess,  289,  292 


Zakhapjne,  Professor,  320 


357 


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